We examined retrospectively 61 eyes of 61 patients with recurrent pterygia who had been treated with excision, with or without 0.02% mitomycin C instillation, 3 to 7 years after treatment. The rates of recurrence (5% to 9%) and complications in eyes that had undergone excision and mitomycin C instillation were less than those in eyes that had had excision only. These data suggest that the postoperative instillation of 0.02% mitomycin C, twice a day for five days, may be effective and safe in the treatment of recurrent pterygium.