AIM: To compare the therapeutic effects of pterygium treated by inferior corneal limbal stem cells autograft transplantation combined with rh-EGF eye drops and simple excision of pterygium.

METHODS: Totally 46 cases(50 eyes)with pterygium were divided into two groups according to the operative method. Group A had 24 cases(25 eyes)which were treated by inferior corneal limbal stem cells autograft transplantation combined with rh-EGF eye drops. Group B had 22 cases(25 eyes)which were treated by simple excision of pterygium. After following up for two years, recovered time of corneal epithelia and recurrent rate of the two groups were observed and compared.

RESULTS: The average recovery time of corneal epithelia of group A was 2.96±0.73 days. The average recovered time of corneal epithelia of group B was 5.64±1.00 days. The difference of the two groups was significant(t=2.17, P<0.05). The recurrent rate of group A was 4%. The recurrent rate of group B was 24%.The difference of the two groups was significant(χ²=4.15, P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: Inferior corneallimbal stem cells autograft transplantation combined with rh-EGF eye drops which can reduce the recurrent rate is an effective method to treat pterygium.