Evaluation of ocular defects and its relevant factors in ‎patients with beta thalassemia major in Sari Boo Ali Sina ‎hospital, (2006-2008)‎

As There is not accurate information about ocular defects in Thalassemia Major ‎‎(TM) patients in Mazandaran province, this study was designed to assess the prevalence of ‎ophtalmopathies in thalassemic patients and also recognize its relevant factors in Sari Boo Ali Sina ‎hospital. Sari.‎ This descriptive Cross-sectional was Carried out on 60 TM patients in ‎Thalassemia center at Sari Boo Ali Sina hospital. Subjects were selected by systematic sampling. ‎After gathering demographic data, patients were evaluated about their illness and its complications ‎from their medical records. Their visual acuity was assessed using Snell chart by an optometrist. ‎Evaluation of retina was done by our ophthalmologist colleague. Visual evoked potential (VEP) ‎was assessed by TOENEES instrument made in Italy which had the ability to assess both VEP and ‎P300. Findings were analyzed by SPSS13 software and Chi square and Mann-whitney tests.‎ 60 patients underwen this study that 33 of them (55%) were male. 4 of them (6.6%) had ‎problems in visual acuity. 3 of these became normal after refractive correction. 3 patients (5%) had ‎Inferior Posterior Cortical Cataract. 2 of them (3.3%) had punctuate lens cortical opacity and one ‎‎(1.7%) had mild nuclear sclerosis. 4 patients(6.7%) had macular pigmentation and one (1.7%) had ‎left optic nerve head pit. No abnormal finding was detected in VEP, such as latency in voltage. Totally 20 patients had ocular complications. These defects can be a result of ‎desferal toxicity or Iron toxicity and drug effects on binding to cupper and zinc and removing them ‎from retinal cells or extramedulary hematopoesis. So based on the results, ophthalmologic ‎evaluation of TM patients and tight desferal dose adjustment in these patients seems necessary. ‎