PURPOSE--To identify a possible relationship of the extent of coronary artery disease, with risk factors for coronary artery disease and the retinal arteriolar changes (evaluated by fundoscopic examination). METHODS--We studied 96 patients (66 males), 36 to 72 years of age. All patients were studied by selective cinecoronaryarteriography, fundoscopic examination, as well as evaluated for the common risk factors, cigarette smoking diabetes, dislipidemia, systemic hypertension, age, alcoholism, male sex, family history and obesity. RESULTS--Male (p < 0.001) and smoking (p < 0.01) were the statistically significant associations with the extent of coronary artery disease. No significant relationship with the extent of coronary artery disease was present for the other risk factor nor for changes in retinal arteriolar branches. CONCLUSION--A relationship between extent of coronary artery disease with male sex and a cigarette smoker is occurred. No relationship with other risk factors, nor with retinal arteriolar changes were present