The Characterization of the Neuroimmune Response in Primary Pterygia

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

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Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The authors present a potential interesting research on pterygium. However, there are a few draw-backs:

The 4 conjunctiva (controls) samples were taken from glaucoma patients. However, the indication for surgery in glaucoma are cases that do not respond well to drops. The inflammation generated by the antiglaucomatous drops could change the conjunctiva. Could the authors exclude this possibility?

Figure 5 - What does C represent on the photos? `Red-orange: C`

Line 355 Please correct punctuation

Line 254. Figure 4 B and D represent only pterygium (not conjunctiva)? Please correct

The analysis of interactions between simpathethic fibers and immune cells is not clear. IT would be necessary for the authors to present integrative data from all 16 pterygium specimens and to compare it to normal conjunctiva. 4 normal controls are not enough to provide statistical relevance.

 

Author Response

Reviewer 2: Please see the attachement

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Accepted

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The autors present only a slight revised form of the study. However, the choice of controls is still not adequate. Angle closure glaucoma presents with very high inflammation, congestion etc and is not compatible to normal conjunctiva.

I suggest the authors to have conjunctival tissue from enucleated eye (eg for intraocular tumors).

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 3

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The authors did not address all my concerns regarding the lack of proper conjunctiva control. However, because indeed there is a lack of information regarding adrenergic innervation in pterygium, I decided that the article may be published after including the limitations statement: low number of conjunctiva analysis for genetic testing (only 4 conjunctiva) and lack of proper control.

Author Response

Thanks a lot for your comments, all of them are valuables for us. According to the last observation we included the following text in the manuscript in the methods: "

3.7. Observation limitations statement low number of conjunctiva analysis for genetic testing (only 4 conjunctiva) and lack of proper control."