THE PREVALENCE OF RETINOPATHY AMONG PATIENTS WITH SICKLE CELL DISEASE

Abstarct 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.