High blood pressure, high cholesterol may be linked to retinal vein occlusion

This meta-analysis of 21 previously published studies finds that among patients with retinal vein occlusion (RVO), 63.6 percent had hypertension, compared with 36.2 percent of controls, high cholesterol levels were more than twice as common among patients with RVO as those without. Diabetes was only slightly more prevalent among those with RVO (14.6 percent vs. 11.1 percent).

The authors recommend that an assessment of blood pressure and both fasting lipid and glucose levels be routinely performed in adults with any form of RVO. At the same time, evidence is lacking about whether lowering blood pressure, serum lipid levels, and/or blood glucose levels can improve visual acuity or the complications of RVO. So, they say a sensible approach is to gradually normalize these measures in accordance with current guidelines, with the main goal being the prevention of cardiovascular and renal disease.