ABSTRACT
A prospective interventional self-control study to analyse the profile and outcome of suture less and glue free limbal conjunctival autograft for the management of primary pterygium was carried out in 80 eyes with primary nasal pterygium requiring surgical excision. Pterygium excision with limbal conjunctival autografting without using glue or sutures was performed in all the eyes followed by bandaging for 24 hours. The patients were followed up post operatively after 24 hrs., on 3rd day, after 1, 3, 6 weeks and at 3 months. They were examined for visual acuity, hemorrhage, wound gape, graft retraction, graft edema, recurrence or any other complication among the study population. The mean age of the patients was 40.78 years (range 19-80), 56.25% of which were females. Graft retraction occurred in 3 eyes (3.75%) and recurrence was seen in 1 eye (1.25%). Hemorrhage was seen in 26 (32.5%) eyes at 24 hours, which persisted in only 06(7.5%) eyes at 3 weeks and resolved completely in 100% of eyes at 6 weeks. Edema was also noted in 4 (5%) eyes, persisted only in 1(1.25%) eye at 3rd day and resolved completely by 1 week. At 6 weeks postoperatively, three (3.75%) eyes showed gain in best corrected visual acuity by one line and one (1.25%) eye by three lines on snellen's drum. No other complication was noted. Suture less and glue free limbal conjunctival autografting following pterygium excision is an effective and safe option for the management of primary pterygium.