According to recent research, HIF1A antisense RNA 2 (HIF1A-AS2), the antisense transcript of HIF-1, is strongly and positively linked with HIF-1α and VEGF and is higher in peripheral blood in NPDR patients as well as in those with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) (96). The gene discussed is HIF1A; the disease is non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy.