IL6 and pterygium: The geometric mean of the IL-6 concentrations of pterygium patients with DE was 8 times higher (95% CI 3.07–20.83) than that of the HCs without DE (p < 0.001) and 4.16 times higher (95% CI 2.30–7.53) than that of the pterygium patients without DE (p < 0.001).