Hyperglycemia-induced effects on glycocalyx components in the retina

•High glucose causes a diversity of changes in the retinal/endothelial glycocalyx.•Syndecan-3 mRNA and protein are decreased from retinal cells in hyperglycemia.•Plasma levels of shed syndecan-1 and CD44 are increased in diabetic rats.•Glypican-1 mRNA increases in hyperglycemic retinal endothelial cells.•Increases of some glycocalyx components may be compensatory for the overall loss.