In an in vivo study with diabetic rats, the treatment with zeaxanthin prevented the retinal damage typically associated with diabetes, decreasing nitro-tyrosine levels, DNA oxidative damage, and lipid peroxidation, finally bringing the retinal concentration levels of VEGF and the intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1: related to the inflammatory state of the tissue) to values similar to those of normal healthy controls [135]. Here, VEGFA is linked to diabetes mellitus.