# Epithelial Ingrowth Following Pterygium Excision With Conjunctival Autograft: A Rare Complication

## TL;DR

A rare eye complication called epithelial ingrowth occurred in a patient after pterygium surgery, confirmed using imaging techniques.

## Contribution

This is the second documented case of epithelial ingrowth following pterygium surgery with conjunctival autograft.

## Key findings

- Epithelial ingrowth was diagnosed clinically and confirmed with anterior optical coherence tomography.
- The lesion appeared as a thin, grey-white band outside the visual axis in the inferior-temporal quadrant.
- This case highlights the rare but possible complication of epithelial ingrowth after pterygium surgery.

## Abstract

Pterygium is a common ocular condition characterized by a conjunctival growth over the cornea. Epithelial ingrowth (EI), a rare complication of ocular surgery, involves the proliferation of epithelial cells within the cornea or the anterior chamber. We report a case of EI in a male patient following pterygium surgery with conjunctival autograft. Slit lamp examination revealed a thin, grey-white, wave-like band beneath the corneal epithelium in the inferior-temporal quadrant, outside the visual axis and not crossing the corneal center. The diagnosis of epithelial ingrowth was made clinically and confirmed with anterior optical coherence tomography (OCT). This marks only the second documented occurrence of EI after pterygium surgery.