Bilateral primary pterygia: an occupational disease?

The authors report on a case of bilateral pterygia that the Israeli Social Security Service acknowledged to be an occupational disease. The question of whether certain occupations are risk factors for pterygia has important medico-legal implications. The authors sought to shed more light on this issue through a case report of bilateral simultaneous pterygia in an Israeli tennis instructor and through a literature review. Results indicate that most studies show a strong relation between pterygia formation and outdoor work with exposure to UV rays. Also, the patient refused to use protective eyewear during his long outdoor working hours and, by doing so, exposed his eyes to excessive sunlight, which led to occupational disease.