Transparent intrastromal corneal lenticule obtained from SMILE surgery as a free graft for the treatment of primary pterygium: A pilot study

PURPOSE: To report our initial experience in patients with primary pterygium surgery who had a transparent intrastromal corneal lenticule as a free graft obtained during small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) surgery. OBSERVATIONS: This study enrolled five eyes of 5 patients with pterygium who were surgically treated with single or double free lenticule that was sutured to the defective area of the nasal corneosclera immediately following pterygium excision. All cases with pterygium were primary, and topical mitomycin C was not used at the time of surgery. The mean age of the patients was 51.0 years and 2 of the 5 eyes belonged to male subjects. The patients were followed up for an average of six months. During the follow-up period, the lenticule grafts demonstrated no sign of rejection and were intact in all cases. All patients recovered well with no complications or recurrences at six months postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPORTANCE: This report suggests that transparent corneal lenticules obtained during SMILE laser surgery may be used as an alternative novel graft source for the surgical treatment of patients with primary pterygium. It appears to be a safe, easy, cost- and time-effective reliable method.