Surgical outcomes in concurrent sickle cell and diabetic retinopathy

Abstract

Purpose: To report the clinical features and outcomes in eyes that underwent vitreoretinal surgery for complications of concurrent sickle cell retinopathy (SR) and diabetic retinopathy (DR). Methods: Retrospective, consecutive case series of all eyes that underwent vitreoretinal surgery for complications secondary to concurrent SR and DR between 1/1/2014 and 12/31/2021. Results: The study included 20 eyes of 14 patients. Indications for surgery included tractional retinal detachment (TRD) in 12 (60%) eyes, combined TRD/rhegmatogenous retinal detachment in 6 (30%) eyes, and vitreous hemorrhage in 2 (10%) eyes. Pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) was performed in all eyes. One eye received a scleral buckle at the same time as PPV. There was no change in mean BCVA at last follow-up examination (1.5 [20/678]) when compared to mean preoperative BCVA (1.6 [20/762], P = 0.83). Preoperative BCVA correlated with postoperative BCVA at last follow-up examination in eyes with retinal detachment (r = 0.49, P = 0.04). Single operation anatomic success was achieved in 11 of 17 (65%) eyes with retinal detachment. Conclusion: Functional and anatomic outcomes after surgery in eyes with concurrent SR and DR are relatively poor.