VEGFA and Hyperglycemia: We have illustrated in our previous studies that DR is a two-stage disease where the initial unseen part of apoptosis of pericytes and endothelial cells is guided by toxic mediators of hyperglycemia-induced biochemical derangements, and the manifested stage from microaneurysms to neovascularization is dictated by an increased secretion of VEGF [3, 4].