Pterygium aetiology and treatment

At the beginning of this research period in 1986, pterygium was an "unknown" quantity with no knowledge of how frequently it occurred in Queensland, important causation issues, and with absolutely no information about the methods of removal. Twenty-eight years later, as a result of this cumulative research activity and scientific publications we now know: 1. That 10% of adult Queenslanders have this condition. 2. That sunlight exposure in the first 10 years of life is crucial in the later development of pterygium. 3. That the existing methods of treatment, at least at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, resulted in totally unacceptable rates of recurrence. 4. That the most common method of treatment in Queensland, namely radiotherapy resulted in a 12% recurrence rate but an unacceptably high rate of scleral necrosis of 13% with 2/500 eyes losing all vision. These four issues alone have resulted in the practical outcomes listed below: 1. An understanding that studies into pterygium treatment require a one year follow-up to identify recurrences. 2. Public awareness campaigns based around avoidance of eye sunlight exposure in childhood. 3. The virtual abandonment of radiotherapy as treatment for pterygium in Queensland. 4. The development of the world's best method of surgical removal of pterygium with virtually no recurrence rate and an unsurpassed cosmetic appearance. In context, approximately 7000 patients a year undergo pterygium surgery in Australia