Source: Sivalingam MD, et al. Outcomes of eyes with sickle cell retinopathy that are lost to follow-up. Presented at: American Society of Retina Specialists annual meeting; July 13-16, 2022; New York.

However, in sickle cell anemia, both beta-globin subunits of hemoglobin are replaced by abnormal HbS. This leads to the distortion of red blood cells and causes them to adopt a sickle shape.

Sickle cell disease can impair blood and oxygen delivery to any part of the body and may cause a wide range of complications, such as anemia, blood clots, and stroke.

Symptoms such as chest pain may signal a sickle cell crisis. Sickle cell anemia (SCA) causes your red blood cells to be hard and sickle-shaped (like a “C”) instead of round.

These cause serious problems like stroke, eye issues, infections, and pain. Sickle cell anemia, per the Mayo Clinic, is when those with sickle cell suffer fatigue due to anemia.

"Decisions about how and whether to address sickle cell disease with funding and clinical care were made decades and decades ago and they affect care and research today," Pecker says. "If we're going ...

Sickle cell disease is a rare genetic blood disorder that affects every aspect of a person’s life. Predominately impacting people of color, the disease has long been misunderstood by the ...