What’s my risk for RVO?
Know your risk factors for RVO (CRVO and BRVO)
- Age: People age 40 and older are at higher risk but RVO is most common between the ages 60 and 80. 1
- Prior RVO: A person with a CRVO in one eye has a 1% chance per year of developing a CRVO in the other eye.2 A person with a BRVO in one eye has a ~ 12% chance of developing an RVO in the other eye over 4 years.3
- High blood pressure: Know your blood pressure numbers and goals for good control. 4
- Diabetes: Know your hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level, a measure of your average blood sugar level over 3 months. It is recommended that HbA1c be 7.0% or lower for most patients. 5
- Arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries): Your PCP will make recommendations on how to prevent further arteriosclerosis. 1
- High cholesterol: Know your cholesterol levels and goals for good control.
Additional Risk Factors for CRVO:
- Sleep apnea: Your PCP will evaluate you for signs and symptoms and recommend testing if they suspect sleep apnea. 6
- Glaucoma: Your eye care provider will recommend treatment if needed. Treatment is often an eye drop used daily. 8
To help control your high blood pressure, diabetes, arteriosclerosis and high cholesterol you should take your medications as directed, get 2.5 hours of moderate (heart pumping) exercise per week, eat a healthy diet and maintain a healthy weight. 7
If you are 40 years and under and develop RVO, your risk factors may be different. Visiting your PCP to have additional testing is important. 9
It is important for your PCP to know you have an RVO. Your PCP will check, monitor and treat high blood pressure, diabetes, arteriosclerosis, high cholesterol and sleep apnea.
If you are 40 years and under and develop RVO, your risk factors may be different. Visiting your PCP to have additional testing is important. 9
It is important for your PCP to know you have an RVO. Your PCP will check, monitor and treat high blood pressure, diabetes, arteriosclerosis, high cholesterol and sleep apnea.
References
- Kolar P. Risk factors for central and retinal branch retinal vein occlusion: A meta-analysis of published clinical data. J Ophthalmology. 2014;2014:724780.
- Natural history and clinical management of central retinal vein occlusion. The Central Vein Occlusion Group. Arch Ophthalmol. 1997;115:486-491.
- Hayreh SS, Zimmerman MB, Podhajsky P. Incidence of various types of retinal vein occlusion and their recurrence and demographic characteristics. Am J Ophthalmol. 1994;117:429-441.
- Hayreh SS, Zimmerman MB, McCarthy MJ, Podhajsky P. Systemic diseases associated with various types of retinal vein occlusion. Am J Ophthalmol. 2001;131:61-77.
- Ferris FL 3rd, Nathan DM. Preventing diabetic retinopathy progression. Ophthalmology. 2016;123:1840-1842.
- Chou KT, Huang CC, Tsai DC, et al. Sleep Apnea and risk of retinal vein occlusion: A nationwide population-based study of Taiwanese. Am J Ophthalmol. 2012;154:200-205.
- Diabetes Prevention Program Research Group. Reduction in the incidence of type 2 diabetes with lifestyle intervention or metformin. N Engl J Med. 2002;346:393-403.
- The Eye Disease Case-Control Study Group. Risk factors for central retinal vein occlusion. Arch Ophthalmol. 1996;114:545-554.
- Rothman AL, Thomas AS, Khan K, Fekrat S. Central retinal vein occlusion in young individuals: A comparison of risk factors and clinical outcomes. Retina. 2019;39:1917-1924.
