Abstract:Objective To explore the effects of pterygium size on the intraocular lens power calculation by comparing the differences of corneal curvature and theoretical intraocular lens power before and after pterygium surgery. Methods Ninety-four eyes of ninety-four patients with primary nasal pterygium undergoing surgical treatment in our hospital from June 2016 to December 2017 were selected for the study, and were sorted into three groups according to the length and width of pterygium (Group A: length < 2.0 mm or width < 5.0 mm; Group B: length = 2.0 to 3.5 mm and width = 5.0 to 7.0 mm; Group C: 3.5 mm < length ≤ 5.0 mm or width > 7.0 mm). The uncorrected distance visual acuity, corrected distance visual acuity, axial length, anterior chamber depth, average corneal curvature, corneal astigmatism and theoretical intraocular lens power were measured before operation and 3 months after operation. Results Before the surgery, with the increase of pterygium size, uncorrected distance visual acuity, corrected distance visual acuity and corneal astigmatism were increased (P < 0.05), while average corneal curvature was decreased (P < 0.05). The uncorrected distance visual acuity, corrected distance visual acuity and corneal astigmatism were lower after the surgery in group B and C (P <0.05). However, the average corneal curvature was higher after the surgery in group B and C (P < 0.05). The differences of theoretical intraocular lens power before and after surgery in group A, B, C were (0.13 ± 0.33) D, (0.40 ± 0.58) D, and (1.21 ± 1.11) D, respectively. Conclusions The effect of pterygium size on the intraocular lens power calculation is slight when the length of pterygium is less than 2.0 mm or the width of pterygium is less than 5.0 mm. The measurement error of intraocular lens power is about 0.5 D when the pterygium length is 2.0 to 3.5 mm and the width is 5.0 to 7.0 mm. Nevertheless, the measurement error of intraocular lens power is much greater when the pterygium length is more than 3.5 mm but no more than 5.0 mm or the width is more than 7.0 mm.