Sickle cell retinopathy can be defined as retinal changes due to blood vessel damage in the eye of a person with a background of sickle cell disease. It can likely progress to loss of vision in late stages due to vitreous hemorrhage or retinal detachment. Sickle cell disease is a structural red blood cell disorder leading to consequences in multiple systems. It is characterized by chronic red blood cell destruction, vascular injury, and tissue ischemia causing damage to the brain, eyes, heart, lungs, kidneys, spleen, and musculoskeletal system. People affected by sickle cell disease are commonly of African or Asian descent. Emigration patterns towards the Western Hemisphere have led to increased numbers of persons affected by sickle cell disease in regions where it was previously uncommon. Knowledge and understanding of sickle cell disease and its management are now increasingly relevant in areas such as the European Union. At a young age, a great proportion of people living with sickle cell disease can develop retinal changes. Sickle cell disease consists of several subtypes; however, the Haemoglobin type C (HbSC) subtype carries the gravest prognosis for sickle cell retinopathy and vision changes. Regular retinal examinations can aid in early detection and treatment, thus reducing the impact of the condition and the risk of vision loss. Development and progression of sickle cell retinopathy can be favorably modified through management of the underling sickle cell disease. Treatment of the general disease can ameliorate its systemic effects. Classification Sickle cell retinopathy can be classified based on retinal changes into non-proliferative and proliferative subtypes. Non-proliferative sickle cell retinopathy (NPSCR) Non-proliferative sickle cell retinopathy (NPSCR) can feature the following retinal manifestations: Venous tortuousity is commonly observed in patients with homozygous HbSS sickle cell disease. Numerous diseases that feature blood hyperviscosity similar to sickle cell disease can manifest as retinal venous tortuousity. Tortuosity is caused by arteriovenous shunting from the retinal periphery. It can feature small bleeds of the retina known as intra-retinal hemorrhages, due to blockage of blood vessels by the sickled blood cells, thus triggering vessel wall necrosis. The resulting hemorrhages are initially bright red and oval shaped. As the hemorrhage ages over a period of days to weeks, the color then changes to a salmon hue known as a salmon patch. They are usually seen adjacent to the retinal arteriole. Bleeding in the deeper layers of the retina leads to the appearance of dark lesions