26/06/2025
A young girl came to the clinic with her mum.
She just wanted to “check her eyes.”
But as I was examining her retina, I noticed something off.
Tiny, thread-like vessels. Signs of ischemia. Areas of neovascularization.
I paused.
"Does she have sickle cell?" I asked.
Her mum looked up, surprised. "Yes, how did you know?"
This is what sickle cell can do. Not just to the blood. But to the eyes.
Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is not just about pain crises or blood transfusions.
It’s a genetic condition that causes red blood cells to become rigid and sickle-shaped and these abnormal cells block blood flow in tiny vessels all over the body, including the delicate vessels in the retina.
So what does SCD do to the eyes?
It leads to a condition we call Sickle Cell Retinopathy.
Let’s break it down simply:
Stage 1–2: You may not feel anything at all. But the vessels are already narrowing, with parts of the retina lacking blood.
Stage 3: New, abnormal blood vessels begin to grow (like weeds trying to survive). This is called neovascularization.
Stage 4–5: These fragile vessels may bleed.
Or worse causing retinal detachment. That’s when vision starts dropping fast.
And guess what?
A lot of people won’t know until it’s late.
No pain. No red eye. Just silent damage.
How do you catch it early?
Dilated fundus examination
OCT or fundus photography
And knowing your genotype is key.
People with HbSS (Sickle Cell Anemia) or HbSC are more at risk, but SC can even have worse eye changes!
What should you do?
If you or your child has sickle cell, see an optometrist or ophthalmologist at least once a year even if vision seems fine.
Don’t wait for symptoms.
And if you’re experiencing floaters, flashes, blurry or distorted vision don’t ignore it.
The eyes are one of the first places sickle cell silently damages and sadly, they are also the most neglected.
Today, we raise awareness.
We educate.
We protect the sight of warriors.
Because every warrior deserves to see the world clearly drop a heart ❤️ for them in the comment section.
Thank you ~Amaka Chinemerem for this.
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