AXIAL LENGTH AND REFRACTION IN RETINAL VEIN OCCLUSIONS

To assess whether axial length and refraction are risk factors for ret inal vein occlusion, we measured these parameters in 88 consecutive pa tients with unilateral branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO), in 58 con secutive patients with unilateral central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO ) and in 50 patients selected as a control group. Patients and control s were free or affected by systemic or local predisposing factors. We compared eyes with CRVO with control eyes, eyes with BRVO with control eyes, and eyes with CRVO with eyes with BRVO. Comparing CRVO eyes and controls, none of the investigated variables was shown to be signific ant. From the analysis of BRVO eyes versus controls, it resulted that refraction was the only variable which played the role of an independe nt prognostic factor. When comparing BRVO eyes with CRVO eyes, we foun d that age was slightly related to the development of BRVO. In conclus ion, faulty refraction appeared to be a risk factor for the developmen t of BRVO. We did not find any influence of axial length on the occlus ion of retinal veins.