The Conjunctival Sign of Sickle-Cell Disease

Abstract

The diagnostic value of a specific conjunctival vascular pattern in sickle-cell disease has been reported previously.¹ It has been pointed out that only those cases with clinically significant sickle-cell disease manifest a peculiar type of intravascular sludging which has not been found in normal persons or in other disease entities. In the 2-year interval since that paper was submitted for publication, additional experience has been gained. It is the purpose here to supplement the former report with findings from a larger series of cases. The reliability of this conjunctival sign can now be more accurately expressed. Observations of sludged blood in various diseases have been made by Knisely and others.² Attention has recently been drawn to an unpublished thesis by de Quevedo (1952)⁸ which reports conjunctival sludging in 5 patients with sickle-cell anemia. It was then Goodman, von Sallmann, and Holland (1957)⁴ who noted and illustrated