PURPOSE: To assess mortality in patients with central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO).

DESIGN: Registry-based cohort study.

PARTICIPANTS AND CONTROLS: Four hundred thirty-nine photographically verified CRVO patients and a control cohort of 2195 unexposed subjects matched by age and gender and alive on the date CRVO was diagnosed in the corresponding case.

METHODS: Data from nationwide registries were used to compare mortality rates in CRVO patients with a control cohort over a mean follow-up of 5.1 years for cases and of 5.7 years for controls.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Hazard ratios (HRs) obtained by Cox regression and standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) stratified by age and gender served as measures of relative mortality risk.

RESULTS: Mortality was higher in patients with CRVO (HR, 1.45; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.19-1.76) than in the control cohort, adjusted for age, gender, and time of diagnosis. Mortality was comparable between the 2 groups (HR, 1.19; 95% CI, 0.96-1.46) when adjusting for overall occurrence of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Subgroup analysis found that the age-stratified mortality rate was increased significantly in the total group of men (SMR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.03-1.56) and in women 60 to 69 years of age (SMR, 1.94; 95% CI, 1.22-3.08).

CONCLUSIONS: Central retinal vein occlusion was associated with an overall increase in mortality compared with controls that was attributed statistically to cardiovascular disorders and diabetes. We recommend treatment of hypertension and diabetes, if present, and referral of patients found to have CRVO who are not already being treated by a primary care physician.