Salmon patch maculopathy: An amblyogenic complication of pediatric sickle cell retinopathy

Abstract

Purpose: To report a case of a large foveal sub-internal limiting membrane hemorrhage from sickle cell retinopathy in a pediatric patient. Observations: A five-year-old boy with sickle cell disease (SCD) type SS (HbSS) and numerous complications was referred after a failed vision screening and was found to have a large yellow subacute sub-internal limiting membrane hemorrhage overlying the fovea in his right eye. There were several other peripheral salmon patches noted. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) revealed temporal inner retinal macular thinning in both eyes. Serial imaging showed rapid improvement over time of the hemorrhages, though amblyopia persisted. Conclusions and importance: We describe an unusual amblyogenic presentation of non-proliferative sickle cell retinopathy in five-year-old patient with HbSS due to a foveal salmon patch. Numerous vision-threatening complications are possible in SCD, highlighting the need for early vision screening.

Keywords

• Sickle cell disease
• Macular hemorrhage
• Sickle cell retinopathy