## 4 Discussion
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c} \hline \hline
**Group (Mean SAF (a.u.) \(\pm\) SD)** & **Study Group (Mean SAF (a.u.) \(\pm\) SD)** & \(p\) \\ \hline \multirow{3}{*}{Control group (2.35 \(\pm\) 0.35)} & CRVO (2.63 \(\pm\) 0.55) & 0.064 \\ \cline{2-3}  & BRVO (2.64 \(\pm\) 0.28) & 0.023 \\ \cline{1-1} \cline{2-3}  & BRVO + CRVO (2.64 \(\pm\) 0.44) & 0.025 \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 2: Mean SAF value correlation between the BRVO group, CRVO group, and control group. was 4.9%. Furthermore, although CRVO was significantly associated with the presence of DM, BRVO was not [14]. The incidence of DM in our study was much higher than in other publications. DM diagnosis was noted in 43.5% of the overall RVO group. Moreover, patients from the BRVO group were diagnosed with DM more often than from the CRVO group (54.5% and 33%, respectively). In the case of chronic hyperglycemia, AGE formation is accelerated. Hyperglycemia is responsible for protein glycation, which interferes with normal protein function [22; 47]. The results of AGEs are influenced by the direct damage to the protein structure and by binding RAGE, which eventually leads to oxidative stress and inflammation. Therefore, hyperglycemia plays a significant role in AGEs accumulation not only in diabetic conditions, Therefore, hyperglycemia plays a significant role in AGEs accumulation not only in diabetic condition, but also in other diseases [21; 26]. Under the chronic hypergly condition in DM, with concomitant hyperlipidemia, oxidative/carbonyl stress, and disturbed renal function, the accumulation of AGEs occurs as one of the major pathogenic mechanisms responsible for end-organ damage in diabetic patients. AGE-related crosslinking and receptor-mediated cellular activation lead to the loss of elasticity of the vascular wall and inflammation, which can result in microvascular and macrovascular complications. Therefore, AGEs are perceived as potential biomarkers for the progression of possible changes in DM [48; 49; 50]. Apart from their correlation with general neurodegenerative diseases, AGEs are also responsible for pathophysoic ocular changes, such as cataract formation, diabetic retinopathy (DR), glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration [17; 51; 52; 53]. Some authors have also indicated a correlation between the SAF values and the severity of DR in type 2 diabetes. They found positive significance between the SAF and the severity of DR, suggesting the SAF as a surrogate biomarker for the non-invasive evaluation of DR [54; 55]. Measuring glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), a marker of chronic hyperglycemia, is a recommended diagnostic examination for DM and is used universally to diagnose diabetes in patients with risk factors. It also helps to identify those at higher risk for developing DM in the future [15]. Whereas as the normal value of HbA1c is considered <6.0%, patients with levels ranging from 6.0% to 6.5% are at a 10-times higher risk of developing DM. Glycemic exposure, defined as HbA1c, plays significant role in the development of microvascular complications in DM. However, while HbA1c indicates the glycemic status, AGE levels are a better predictor for diabetic complications, as shown by the findings of the DCCT study [16]. The significance of AGE levels was especially notable in the intensive glycemic control group, implying that even with effective glycemic control, diabetic complications might still progress. Furthermore, the DCCT/EDIC Research Group established that AGEs assessed by the skin intrinsic fluorescence (SIF) measurement correlate with the mean HbA1c over time [56]. We did not found any notion of a correlation between AGEs and RVO in the literature. Thus, we decided to investigate the significance of accumulation of AGEs in RVO patients with respect to DM. In this study, the mean SAF value was 2.64 a.u. in the BRVO group and 2.63 a.u. in the CRVO group.