Detection of microplastics in pterygium tissue: Implications for environmental hazards

Purpose: This study aimed to report a case of microplastics (MPs) detection in a pterygium patient's tissue.

Case report: A pterygium specimen was obtained from the right eye of a 43-year-old woman by surgical removal of a recurred pterygium. The number, morphology, and material type of the MPs in pterygium were identified using Raman microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Ten MPs were detected in the pterygium, which corresponded to polyethylene (PE) (n = 7), polystyrene (PS) (n = 2), and polypropylene (PP) (n = 1). The size of MPs ranged from 5-9 µm (n = 5, PE or PS), 10-19 µm (n = 4, PE), and 50-99 µm (n = 1, PP). All MPs were transparent and irregular fragments.

Conclusions: This study demonstrated the detection of MPs in the pterygium tissue. Our findings suggest that environmental hazards, such as MP, may be commonly exposed to the ocular surface.