Study on the relationship between Climatic Factors and Pterygium (An Eye Disease) in Mashhad

Pterygium is one of the most common eye diseases causing astigmatism, eyesight limitation and some other skin diseases. Pterygium, with an outbreak of 22%, is of the highest rate of frequency of eye diseases in tropical areas. This study is to investigate the role of climatic factors spreading Pterygium during 1385-1390 in Mashhad. The data needed for the study has been gathered from the patients referred to Khatam Al-Anbiya Ophthalmology Department suffering from Pterygium during 1385-1390 in Mashhad, also the climatic data collected in Mashhad Synoptic Station has been used. At first the collected data were assessed by Minitab 16 software to have normal data, secondly the relationship between climatic factors and Pterygium has been analyzed by such different methods as statistical regression, Pearson correlation, multiple correlation, ANOVA model (ACF self correlation functions) as well as ultraviolet ray indication. The results of the study showed that monthly correlation between climatic elements of dust, sunny times, total radiation and wind speed with Pterygium is in its highest rates in Ordibehesht, Khordad, Azar, Dey and Bahman. Among the above parameters, the relationship between wind speed and sunny times with Pterygium has the highest correlation (r=0.89, p=0.01, & r=0.63, p=0.1). In addition, the results showed that climatic elements increase the disease rate according to the seasonal delay time, especially in the second half of the years.