VEGFD and retinal disorder: VEGFC and VEGFD also bind and activate VEGFR2 independently of VEGFA, and they are the only ligands for VEGFR3 (30, 31).VEGFs are therefore potent modulators of neovascularization, and the anti-VEGF molecules, which mostly target VEGFA (except aflibercept, which also targets VEGFB and placental growth factor), have emerged as important therapies that address leakage and angiogenesis in a variety of retinopathies, including DR (6, 32, 33).