The possible influence of a vascular factor in idiopathic detachment of the retina was studied by comparing the frequency of hypertension and hyperlipidemia in groups of myopic and non-myopic subjects within the age group 50 to 65 years. Hypertension was present in 37.1 p. cent and hyperlipidemia in 60 p. cent of the non-myopic subjects, against 9.7 p. cent and 33.33 p. cent respectively in the myopic subjects. These results, together with the fact that there was a later age of onset in the non-myopic group, suggest that a vascular factor could be of etiological significance in idiopathic detachment of the retina in non-myopic subjects.