Osmotic changes induced by a high-salt diet also trigger NFAT5 activation in the retina, promoting the transcription of VEGF and AQP5, along with the expression of placental growth factor (PlGF), fibroblast growth factor (FGF), and heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF), all of which are associated with neovascular pathophysiology in diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) 121, 122, 123. This evidence concerns the gene VEGFA and age-related macular degeneration.