PURPOSE

The present study aimed to describe the prevalence of pterygium and pinguecula in an older population and to examine associations with skin, hair and eye colour, skin sun sensitivity, sun-related skin damage and skin cancer

METHODS

The Blue Mountains Eye Study examined 3564 people aged 49 years or older Slit-lamp examination recorded pterygium and pinguecula and a questionnaire was used to collect information on physical variables.

RESULTS

Two hundred and sixty-six subjects (7.3%) had pterygium (or had a history of pterygium surgery) and 2521 (69.5%) had pinguecula present in either eye. Significantly more men (11%) than women (4.5%) had pterygium (odds ratio (OR) 2.63; 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.03-3.42). This sex difference was aso found for pinguecula, present in 73.6 and 66.3% of men and women, respectively (OR 1.5; 95% CI 1.3-1.7). A s ight age-related increase in prevalence was found for both pterygium and pinguecula.

CONCLUSIONS

The study found significant associations between pterygium and increased pigmentation (skin and hair colour), decreased skin sun sensitivity and sun-related skin damage. The age- and sex-specific pterygium prevalence rates in the present study are simi ar to rates found in non-Aboriginals examined in the 1980 Australian Trachoma Programme.