Effect of antioxidant N-acetylcysteine on diabetic retinopathy and expression of VEGF and ICAM-1 from retinal blood vessels of diabetic rats.

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a leading cause of blindness globally and its pathogenesis has still not been completely elucidated. Some studies show a close relation between oxidative stress and DR. This study was aimed to investigate the effects of anti-oxidant in DR and expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) from retinal blood vessels in diabetic rats.