الفهرس 
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Abstract
Frequent blood transfusion has increased the life expectancy of patients with β-thalassemia major, but it causes progressive iron over load. Desferrioxamine, which are used to avoid systemic complications of siderosis cause chelation of metals such as iron, copper, zinc, cobalt in the retina.These metals are essential for normal retinal function thus causing several ocular abnormalities.
The aim of this study was to assess ocular changes in multi transfused B thalassemic children receiving the iron chelating agent desferroxamine and determine the relation of these changes with desferroxamine, serum ferritin level and frequency of blood transfusion.
This study was carried up on:
Fifty B-thalassemia major children who on regular blood transfusion therapy receiving desferroxamine, they were collected from the Hematology Clinic, Minia University for Children Hospital. They were 33 (66%) males and 17 (34%) females with an age ranged from 5-15 years with mean ± SD of 9.3 ±2.7.
The diagnosis of B-thalassemia was based on clinical examination and hemoglobin electrophoresis.
All individuals in this study were subjected to full clinical assessment and complete physical examination. Hemoglobin level, Serum ferritin and Hb electrophoresis were evaluated.
The results of this study include:
1-The study revealed that 35% of the thalassemia patients had ocular changes, these changes in the form of cataract in 12%, decreased BCVA in 34%, RPE degeneration in 6%, optic disc changes in 10%, IOP in 2%, RVT in 9% and color vision in 3%.
2-There were significant correlations between the dose, duration of desferrioxamine with cataract, BCVA, RPE degeneration and optic disc changes. Also there were a significant correlation between serum ferritin with cataract, BCVA, retinal venous tortousity and optic disc changes, while frequency of blood transfusion had a significant relation cataract, BCVA, retinal venous tortuosity and color vision.