Oxidative Stress and Diabetic Retinopathy: An Overview

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder of multifactorial origin, characterized by chronic hyperglycemia and disturbances in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Individuals with impaired glucose tolerance exhibit hyperglycemia despite having elevated plasma insulin levels, indicating resistance to insulin action. As impaired glucose tolerance progresses to diabetes mellitus, insulin levels decline, suggesting that patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) experience reduced insulin secretion.Diabetic retinopathy is the most common microvascular complication of diabetes. The role of oxidative stress in diabetic retinopathy (DR) has been demonstrated by significant abnormalities in oxidant-antioxidant mechanisms in individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM).