Ocular manifestations of cardiovascular and hematologic disorders

The past yearʼs important publications on the ocular manifestations of cardiovascular and hematologic diseases are reviewed. Hypertension and carotid occlusive disease are two commonly observed maladies that lead to a broad spectrum of ocular disease. Several cardiac anomalies have been reported to have secondary ocular involvement, underscoring the importance of a thorough systemic work-up when evaluating patients with atypical presentations of ocular pathology. The increasing prevalence of heart-lung organ transplantation has expanded the list of reported ocular complications. The hematologic disorders are subdivided into abnormalities of the leukocytes, red cells, platelets, and defects in the plasma and coagulation proteins. Although their ocular characteristics are heterogeneous and sometimes uncommon, their involvement may represent critical systemic abnormalities, and result in serious ocular morbidity.Current Opinion in Ophthalmology 1993, 4;VI:113-119