Purpose: To describe the result of using a polyethylene glycol hydrogel contact lens (ReSure; Ocular Therapeutix, Inc, Bedford, MA) as a protective bandage over denuded areas of Tenons after pterygium removal.
Methods: Five sequential patients underwent pterygium removal with a conjunctival autograft and painting of bare Tenons in the area of the graft retrieval with a biodegradable polymer, and these patients were followed for 1 year for immediate postoperative pain, epithelial healing, and long-term conjunctival scarring.
Results: All patients showed prolonged persistence of the polymer for up to 8 to 10 weeks with resultant increased conjunctival inflammation and scarring with no evidence of decreased postoperative pain.
Conclusions: This hydrogel polymer seems to cause prolonged inflammation and resultant scarring when used over extended areas of Tenons, and it has no role in reducing pain after pterygium surgery.