Risk Factors for Retinal Artery Occlusion in China

1. Lin Li
2. Ying Wang
3. Ning Lu

Beijing Tong Ren Eye Center, Beijing Tong Ren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China

Purpose To investigate systematically the various associated systemic and ophthalmic abnormalities in different types of retinal artery occlusion (RAO)

Methods Records of Patients with RAO were reviewed. We included 206 consecutive patients (206 eyes) with RAO seen in our clinic from 2005 to 2009.

Result In patients aged 40 years or more, the prevalence of hyperlipemia and atherosclerotic plaque in the internal carotid artery, arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease, and cerebrovascular accidents were significantly higher compared with the prevalence of these conditions in the matched Chinese population.

Conclusions This study showed that the prevalence of various cardiovascular diseases was significantly higher compared with the prevalence of these conditions in the matched Chinese population. Plaque in the carotid artery is usually the source of embolism.