AIM:To evaluate the retinal vascular system in senior hypertensives by pulse pressure (PP) in cataract surgeries. METHODS:Prospective and case control study. Fifty-eight patients (58 eyes) who were scheduled for uniocular phacoemulsification and intraocular lens(IOL) implantation were settled to either group A (hypertensive) or group B (normotensive). PP measurements were recorded on the day they were hospitalized as baseline (PP₁), just before surgeries started (PP₂), during phcaoemulsification (PP₃), before IOL implanted (PP₄), and at the endpoint of the surgeries (PP₅). Data were analyzed by statistical software SPSS 18.0.RESULTS: PP₁-₅ measurements were as follows respectively, 61.92±13.27, 77.39±13.57, 75.18±16.18, 7271±15.94, 72.68±15.75mmHg in group A; and 46.50±11.71, 64.95±14.17, 64.20±13.10, 59.35±12.84, 62.00±1397mmHg in group B. There was significant statistical difference in PP measurements between groups (P>0.05). The increases in PP₂ measurements were 15.47±14.13 and 18.45±13.75mmHg, respectively. And no significant statistical difference was found in the increase of PP₂ measurements (P>0.05). No significant statistical differencewas found in the main effects within groups (F=0.679, P>0.05).CONCLUSION:The high level of PP has important roles in organ damage to senior hypertensives in cataract surgery. And further study may be needed to establish the effect of the transient instability of PP on visual function.