Among these, SNP associations at the GLI3, DCLK1, SP4, PTPRD, RPL30 and RIDA genes were replicated in an independent Hispanic diabetic retinopathy (DR) cohort and thus shared within the context of pre-retinal neovascular disease which is present in both ROP ≥ stage 3 and proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Here, SP4 is linked to proliferative diabetic retinopathy.