PURPOSE: To analyze the epidemiological data of pterygium and assess its clinical co–relation with dry eye by evaluating the status of tear film   METHODS: This is a prospective study carried out from June 1, 2014 to July 30, 2016 in a tertiary referral care center of Western India in 240 eyes of which 120 eyes of 105 patients having pterygium were compared with 120 eyes of 120 normal healthy subjects. The following parameters were evaluated in all patients: ·        Tear film break up time ·        Schirmer’s test   RESULTS: In this study, age varied from 21 to 76 years (mean– 43.23 years for cases , 48.21 for controls). There were 56 men (53.3%) and 49 women (46.7%) in case group and 62 men (51.7%) and 58 women (48.3%) in control group. Majority of eyes (75 %) had a nasal pterygium while pterygium on temporal side was seen in 10 %. The remaining (15 %) had a double pterygium. The mean TBUT was 10.54 seconds (range 2.50 – 28.50 secs) in pterygium patients and 16.67 seconds (range 6.50 – 29.5 secs) in the control group. The mean Schirmer’s test 1 was 16.15 mm (range 2.5 mm – 35.5mm) in the pterygium group and 20.23 mm (range 4.5 mm – 35 mm) in the control group. The mean basal secretion was 11.01 mm (range 1.5 mm – 27.5mm) in pterygium patients and 14.21 mm (range 0 mm – 28 mm) in the control group.   CONCLUSION: This study has clearly demonstrated that there is a strong relationship between dry eye and pterygium. Therefore, treatment of dry eye should be a part of pterygium management similarly precautions should be taken by all dry eye patients to protect their eyes from developing pterygium