Pterygium was recognised 3000 yrs ago, described by Susrutha way back in 1000 B.C. in India. Pterygium literally means “wing” and is an encroachment of the conjunctiva on the cornea, most often on the nasal side and is found in areas of high ultraviolet radiation, dry, hot, windy, dusty, and smoky environments.

The invasion of the corneal surface can lead to significant visual morbidity due to irritation of the ocular surface, irregular astigmatism, obstruction of the visual axis, and loss of corneal transparency.

The indications for surgery are reduced visual acuity due to encroachment upon the visual axis and irregular astigmatism and other causes are due to chronic irritation and recurrent inflammation, and cosmesis.

Treatment for pterygium is excision of the tissue and current surgical methods are mainly aimed to prevent pterygium recurrence by conjunctival autograft, limbal and limbal– conjunctival transplant, conjunctival flap and conjunctival rotation autograft surgery and amniotic membrane transplant, cultivated conjunctival transplant, lamellar keratoplasty The graft is secured either by sutures or fibrin glue or homologous serum.