THE PREVALENCE OF RETINOPATHY AMONG PATIENTS WITH SICKLE CELL ‎DISEASE

Abstract

Sickle cell anemia is an inherited disorder characterized primarily by chronic hemolytic anemia ‎and vaso-occlusive crises. It affects millions of people throughout the world. There is no tissue or ‎organ spared from injury by sickling disorder including the retina. ‎ ‎ This studt aimed to determine the prevalence of retinopathy among patients with sickle cell disease.‎ ‎ The study was done on 120 subjects, 60 patients and 60 healthy control. Beside electrophoretic testing, ‎all subjects underwent careful ophthalmoscopic examination (direct and indirect) by the same examiner.‎ ‎ The American academy of Ophthalmology criteria for diagnosing and staging of sickle retinopathy was ‎followed in this study. ‎ ‎ Retinopathy was more common patients with sickle cell disease (16%), than in control group (3%). ‎Those with SF hemoglobin were seem to be affected more than the other studied groups (AS, SS). Male ‎patients and those who were above 40 years showed more prevalence of retinopathy.‎