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Optic atrophy in thalassemia intermedia
Farzad Pakdel1, Niloofar Pirmarzdashty, Mostafa Soltan Sanjari
1Department of Ophthalmology, Shahid-Mohammadi Hospital, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar-Abbas, Iran. fapakdel@gmail.com
Summary
Thalassemia intermedia can cause vision loss due to optic nerve damage from bone expansion. Simple blood transfusions can decompress these extramedullary tumors, preserving sight in patients.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Hematology
- Neurosurgery
Background:
- Thalassemia intermedia is a genetic blood disorder.
- Optic atrophy is a severe vision impairment.
- Extramedullary hematopoiesis is the formation of blood elements outside bone marrow.
Observation:
- A young man with thalassemia intermedia experienced progressive vision loss.
- Neuroimaging showed craniofacial bone expansion and optic canal narrowing.
- Sellar hematopoietic tissue expansion compressed the optic chiasm.
Findings:
- Severe bilateral optic atrophy was diagnosed.
- Massive extramedullary hematopoietic tissue expansion caused optic chiasm compression.
- Blood transfusions effectively decompressed the extramedullary tumors.
Implications:
- Periodic ophthalmic screening is crucial for thalassemia patients.
- Blood transfusions offer a non-invasive treatment for vision-threatening complications.
- This case highlights a rare cause of optic atrophy in thalassemia.
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