Introduction: Risk factors for retinal vein occlusion have been extensively studied, with varying population sizes. Smaller populations result in less certain measures of associations. The present review included studies with a relevant population size to identify clinically relevant risk factors for retinal vein occlusion. Understanding the risk factors of retinal vein occlusion is important for the management of these patients. Areas covered: A comprehensive literature review was conducted through a systematic literature search in PubMed and Embase. Additional studies were selected from cross references in the assessed studies. Weighted effect measures were calculated for all included risk factors. Risk factors associated with retinal vein occlusion included cardiovascular diseases, eye diseases, systemic diseases, medical interventions, and sociodemographic factors. Expert Opinion: This review provided an extensive overview of a wide variety of risk factors increasing the risk of developing retinal vein occlusion. The severity of the identified risk factors indicated that these patients have been in contact with the health care system before their retinal vein occlusion event. Therefore, the clinical course for patients with retinal vein occlusion may benefit from a multidisciplinary collaboration between ophthalmologists and especially cardiologists.