Objective. To study the prevalence of dry eye syndrome in patients with initial primary pterygium for determination of a possible pathogenetic role of dry eye syndrome in the development of pterygium. Material and methods. 30 patients with initial primary pterygium; besides conventional ophthalmic assessment, cytological examination of bulbar conjunctiva was performed in all cases. Results. Signs of dry eye syndrome, of similar severity in both eyes, were found in 100% of patients. Conclusion. Dry eye can be one of the precipitating factors of primary pterygium.