VEGFA and diabetic retinopathy: VEGF-A and its receptors are important in the promotion of the permeability, proliferation, migration and capillary tube formation of ECs (9,11,27,28) and contribute to several pathological processes, including diabetic retinopathy, retinopathy of prematurity, age-associated macular degeneration and corneal neovascularity (1,29–31).