To investigate the clinical characteristics and prognostic factors of young patients with central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO).
This retrospective cohort study involved treatment-naïve patients with CRVO. Medical records regarding basic demographics, predisposing factors, ocular characteristics, and treatments were reviewed and compared according to age at CRVO onset.
We enrolled 263 patients, of whom 69 were younger patients. Younger patients had higher prevalence of nontraditional risk factors including physical or psychological stress (P = 0.032), hematologic abnormalities (P = 0.003), and better visual acuity at baseline and last visit (all P < 0.001) and were unlikely to undergo intravitreal injections (47.8 vs. 68.6%, P < 0.001) during follow-up. Younger patients had higher prevalence of paracentral acute middle maculopathy (28.1 vs. 4.7%, P < 0.001). Older age (odds ratio = 1.165, P = 0.028), male sex (odds ratio = 7.074, P = 0.034), coexisting renal disease (odds ratio = 7.845, P = 0.050), and poor baseline visual acuity (odds ratio = 16.069, P = 0.002) were significant risk factors for poor visual outcomes in young CRVO patients.
Younger CRVO patients had a milder clinical course with fewer treatments and were more likely to have nontraditional risk factors than older patients.

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