THE TOXIC EFFECT OF HYPERGLYCAEMIA IN THE PATHOGENESIS OF SELECTED CHRONIC COMPLICATIONS OF DIABETES MELLITUS: A MINI-REVIEW

Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic diseases that, due to the long-term pathological effect of hyperglycaemia on tissues, lead to the development of typical chronic organ complications. Chronic hyperglycaemia leads to increased activity of the polyol pathway with subsequent accumulation of sorbitol and fructose, increased formation and accumulation of end products of advanced glycation, alteration of protein kinase C activity, excessive formation of reactive oxygen species and associated high level of oxidative stress. One of the most feared complications of diabetes mellitus is vision impairment and blindness. In this review, we address the most important metabolic pathways leading to the development of diabetic retinopathy and diabetic cataract, the ocular complications of diabetes with the greatest risk of vision loss.