Sudden monocular blindness associated with homozygous B-thalassemia in a young Liberian.
A 16-year old Liberian female presented with sudden monocular blindness. Physical examination and laboratory investigations were normal except that the patient had homozygous B-Thalassemia (HbA 58%, HbF 5% and HbA2 7.0%). Family study revealed that both parents had B-Thalassemia trait. We feel that the association of sudden monocular blindness with homozygous B-Thalassemia which has not been reported before, is not fortuitous but causal. It is therefore suggested that homozygous B-Thalassemia be added to the list of haemoglobinopathies (HbAS, SS and SC) that have been reported to cause blindness as complication.
Njoh
J
J
Department of Medicine, University of Liberia, Monrovia.
York
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D001766:Blindness / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007988:Liberia; D013789:Thalassemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics