Ocular manifestations of sickle cell disease in Nigerians; experience in Benin City, Nigeria.

The ocular findings in 50 cases of homozygous sickle cell disease are reported. Ocular abnormalities were found in 45 (90%) of them. Conjunctival vascular anomalies, tortuosity of the retinal vessels, particularly the veins and pigmented chorioretinal lesions were the commonest ocular manifestations; central retinal artery occlusion was found in one patient. Angioid streaks, retinitis proliferans and retinal detachment were not observed. Visual acuity was normal in 49 out of 50 patients; the exception was the patient with central artery occlusion.