Retinal vein occlusion and ocular hypertension.

We undertook a retrospective study to determine whether there is an association between ocular hypertension and venous occlusion in the retina. We found evidence that in patients with systemic vascular disease, ocular hypertension may predispose to retinal vein occlusion, especially in the elderly. Ocular hypertension in itself is a benign condition that has no adverse effects on visual prognosis, but treatment may be warranted in some cases because of the possibility of vein occlusion. Prospective studies are needed to verify this preliminary finding.