One Year Cross - Sectional Study to Evaluate Hypertension and Hyperlipidemia as Risk Factors in Retinal Vein Occlusion Patients at KLES Dr. Prabhakar Kore Charitable Hospital & MRC, Belgaum

Abstract

Background Retinal Vein Occlusions are reported to be the second most common vascular cause of ocular morbidity after Diabetic Retinopathy. Various systemic and ocular risk factors have been found to be associated with retinal vein occlusions. The stress is more on systemic parameters like advanced Age, Hypertension, Hyperlipidemia, Diabetes, Smoking, Obesity, Systemic Vasculitides, Thrombophilic conditions, which all contribute to changes in vasculature all over the body, and also to pathogenesis of retinal vein occlusions. Objective • To study Hypertension and Hyperlipidemia as risk factors in Retinal vein occlusion patients. • To study Co-existing risk factors like Age, Diabetes Mellitus,Obesity, Smoking and abnormalities in haemogram, IOP and Axial length in Retinal vein occlusion patients. Methodology The present one year cross sectional study was conducted in the Department of Ophthalmology, KLES Dr. Prabhakar Kore Hospital and Medical Research Centre, Belgaum during the period of January 2012 to December 2012. 40 patients who met the inclusion criteria were included in the study. Detailed history regarding the risk factors was obtained. Slit lamp biomicroscopy, direct and indirect ophthalmoscopy with fundus photography was carried out. Blood investigations were done. Results Mean age of the patients was 60.25±11.7 with more males than females. Hypertension was the most common risk factor seen in 77.5% of patients. 40% of patients were diabetic, 30% had hyperlipidemia and 55% of patients were smokers. Risk factor profiling of the patients was also done. Most of the patients had multiple risk factors, predominantly atherosclerotic ones. Conclusions Present study supports a multifactorial etiology of RVO, with predominance of atherosclerotic factors, rather than pointing towards a singular risk factor.