AIM: To evaluate the different surgical methods on the function of tear film after pterygium surgery.

METHODS: A retrospective case series study, a total of 106 pterygium patients(106 eyes)were randomly divided into two groups, 50 patients(50 eyes)received pterygium excision combined with amniotic membrane transplantation served as membrane group, 56 patients(56 eyes)received pterygium excision combined with autologous limbal stem cell transplantation served as stem cell group. Respectively before surgery and 1mo, 3mo after surgery, the BUT, SⅠt, OSDI were checked. The data were compared and analyzed.

RESULTS: There were significant differences in different times of two groups.(1)Compared between groups, before operation and 1mo after surgery. There were no significant differences among BUT, SⅠt and OSDI(P>0.05). But 3mo after surgery, BUT and SⅠt of the stem cell group was higher than the membrane group(P<0.05). OSDI of the stem cell group was better than the membrane group(P<0.05).(2)Compared within group, BUT, SⅠt and OSDI were no significant differences between before operation and 1mo after surgery(P>0.05), but there were significant differences between 3mo after surgery and 1mo after surgery, before operation(P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: The function of tear film was restored by pterygium excision combined with amniotic membrane transplantation or combined with autologous limbal stem cell transplantation, and the later was better than the former in effect.