Pterygium and associated ocular surface squamous neoplasia.

OBJECTIVE: To measure the rate of histopathologically identified ocular surface squamous neoplasia (OSSN) in pterygium specimens.

METHODS: All pterygium specimens collected from consecutive patients between April 8, 2003, and February 6, 2008, were submitted for histopathologic examination, and the rate of OSSN was calculated.

RESULTS: The rate of OSSN was 9.8% (52 of 533) insequential pterygium specimens.

CONCLUSIONS: This rate of unsuspected OSSN suggests that all specimens of pterygium should be submitted for histopathologic examination and that patients in whom OSSN is noted should be examined at more frequent intervals so any clinical OSSN that develops can be identified at an early stage.