Scleral Changes Induced by Instillation of Mitomycin C

To prevent recurrence of pterygium after surgical repair, topical application of mitomycin C has been prescribed in Japan since 1962. Various reports of severe scleral changes following this treatment began to appear in 1965. We now report 9 such cases, 3 men and 6 women within the age range from 48 to 73 years. In these patients, the pterygium was excised using the bare scleral technique and mitomycin C was instilled postoperatively. The duration of topical application and the number of instillations varied. The period from operation to onset of scleral lesion was between one month and 10 years. Although the mechnisms of toxicity remain to be determined, the ophthalmologist should be aware that when mitomycin C is being instilled, scleral lesion may appear even after a long postoperative course