The risk factors of pterygium development: a hospital-based study.

We evaluated the risk factors for pterygium development in Eastern Turkey. Mean protrusion value of all eyes with pterygium (all eyes in bilateral pterygium subgroups and only eyes with pterygium in unilateral pterygium subgroup, n = 130) was 16.76 +/- 2.69 mm. In all cases pterygium occurred in the eye that had greater protrusion value suggesting greater protrusion degree might be a risk factor.