It is characterized by chronic red blood cell destruction, vascular injury, and tissue ischemia causing damage to the brain, eyes, heart, lungs, kidneys, spleen, and musculoskeletal system.
[3] Emigration patterns towards the Western Hemisphere have led to increased numbers of persons affected by sickle cell disease in regions where it was previously uncommon.
[2] Regular retinal examinations can aid in early detection and treatment, thus reducing the impact of the condition and the risk of vision loss.
Even though PSCR begins in the first decade of life, the condition remains asymptomatic and unnoticed until visual symptoms occur due to vitreous hemorrhage or retinal detachment.
[8] Goldberg classified PSR into following 5 different self-explanatory stages: Normal adult hemoglobin A molecule comprises two α and two β globin chains associated with a heme ring.
[2] However, retinal changes that are diagnostic of sickle cell retinopathy can be visualized using fundoscopic examinations, retinography, fluorescein angiography and coherence tomography.
Screening is an important pillar of prevention of sickle cell retinopathy as it provides the benefit of early detection and treatment thus reducing complications.
[4] Bevacizumab is an anti-VEGF drug used in intravitreal injection that is known to cause reversal of sea fan lesions and reduce the duration of vitreous hemorrhage.
[3][4] Intravitreal injection of anti-VEGF drugs can also be used prior to surgery to aid separation of tissues involved in the sea fan lesion and to reduce intraoperative and postoperative hemorrhage.
[3][4] Scleral buckle was a previously popular surgical intervention however, its complications include anterior segment ischemia as a result of vascular occlusion.