Topical 0.2% Loteprednol Etabonate vs. Topical 0.1% Dexamethasone in Impending Recurrent Pterygium

A prospective randomized control trial was performed from October 2015 to April 2019 at the Department of Ophthalmology, Thammasat Hospital, Thailand and Panyananthaphikkhu Chonprathan Medical Center, Thailand. Subjects Patients who had pterygium excision with amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT) and who had impending recurrent pterygium stage 3 defined as fibrovascular tissue not invading the cornea were included. Then the participants were randomized into 2 groups. Both groups received subconjunctival 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) injection 5mg/0.1 mL with 27-gauge needle in the area of fibrovascular tissue, and then the eyes were irrigated with 30 mL of normal saline. 0.2% loteprednol etabonate was prescribed in group 1, and 0.1% dexamethasone (CD-oph) was prescribed in group 2 every 4-6 hours for 4 weeks. After that, the regimen was gradually decreased until cessation at 3 months. 5-FU was repeatedly injected monthly in the presence of marked inflammation and not more than 3 times to prevent complications. All patients were followed-up at 1, 3, 6, and 9 months to assess the impending recurrent pterygium severity score, intraocular pressure, complications, detection of true recurrent pterygium, and time to recurrence.