AIM:To compare the curative effect of corneal limbal stem cell transplantation and amniotic membrane transpl-antation under the microscope for recurrent pterygium.METHODS:Ninety patients 96 eyes with recurrent pterygium were randomly divided into A,B groups.A group 40 patients 42 eyes underwent pterygium excision combined with autologous corneal limbal stem cell transplantation.B group,50 patients 54 eyes,underwent pterygium excision with amniotic membrane transplantation.Postoperative symptoms,corneal healing,conjunctival tissue healing,neovascularization and pterygial proliferation in 2 years were observed.RESULTS:In A group 39 eyes(93%) were cured,3 eyes(7%) recurred;of B group 48 eyes(89%) cured,6 eyes(11%) recurred in 96 eyes,the difference was not significant(χ 2=0.0456,P>0.05).The average time of corneal healing was that A group was(4.12±1.08) days,B group(7.38±1.12) days respectively.There were significant differences in two groups(t=4.307,P<0.05).CONCLUSION:There are good curative effect and low recurrence rate in both groups,but A group is worthy of clinical generalization with faster corneal epithelial healing and discomfortableness disappearance.