ABSTRACT
Abstracts: Background: Retinal vein occlusion is a commonly encountered vascular disorder affecting the retina. Systemic diseases have been implicated in the pathogenesis of branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO). Many systemic risk factors of BRVO are reported from studies done in various countries. However, there is scarcity of reports of systemic associations of BRVO in Indian population. Purpose: To find the systemic associations of BRVO. Materials and Methods: Medical records of patients of BRVO visiting the tertiary eye care center of a medical college during the past two years were retrieved. Their demographic presentations and systemic associations were analyzed. Results: One hundred and fourteen patients of BRVO with male:female ratio of 2.3:1 and having a mean age of 58 + 9.5 years were analyzed. Seventy-five (65.8 %) patients were hypertensive, 32 (28.1 %) had hyperhomocysteinemia, 26 (22. 8 %) were suffering from diabetes mellitus and 20 (17.5 %) were dyslipidemic. Twenty (17.5 %) patients were addicted to tobacco in some or the other forms whereas 18 (15.8 %) patients were smokers. Conclusion: The first step in the management of BRVO is to identify the risk factors associated with the disease in order to correct them. A joint effort is needed between the ophthalmologist and the physician to treat this sight-threatening retinal condition.