PurposeThe aim of this study was to analyze the incidence of retinal vein occlusion (RVO) in patients with and without diabetes in the population and compare the influencing factors.MethodThe community-based Kailuan Eye Study included 14,440 participants (9835 male, 4605 female) with a mean age of 54.0 +/- 13.3 years (range, 20-110 years). They underwent a systemic and ophthalmologic examination. RVO were diagnosed on fundus photographs.ResultBy matching for age and gender, we included a total of 2767 patients each with diabetes and non-diabetes. The prevalence of RVO among patients with and without diabetes was 1.5% and 0.8%, respectively. The prevalence of RVO was higher in patients with diabetes than in patients without diabetes in all age groups. Multifactorial regression analysis showed that only fasting blood glucose levels were significantly different between patients with RVO with or without DM. The occurrence of RVO in the group with diabetes was mainly associated with higher fasting glucose and systolic blood pressure; in the group without diabetes, RVO was mainly associated with higher diastolic blood pressure, Body Mass Index, and lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels.ConclusionWe found that patients with diabetes have increased risks of RVO. In addition to blood pressure control, we recommend educating patients with diabetes about RVO, to prevent its subsequent occurrence.