[Ocular refraction and branch of retinal vein occlusion].

PURPOSE: To evaluate the significance of refractive errors in cases of branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO).

METHODS

We included in this study 179 patients with BRVO who attended our department between 1996-2000. We compared this group with an equal number of age, sex and associated diseases matched controls. The spherical equivalents of the refractive errors of patients in both groups were compared using the chi-square test and Student's t test.

RESULTS

Hypermetropia was present in 114 patients wit BRVO (63.68%) and in 82 controls (45.8%, p = 0.00048). Myopia was present in 16 patient with BRVO (8.9%) and in 39 controls (21.8%, p = 0.0037). Emetropia was found in 49 patients (27.37%) and in 58 controls (32.4%, p = 0.299).

CONCLUSIONS

Hypermetropia is significantly more common in patients with BRVO than in general population, but myopia is significantly less common in these patients than in controls.