Lack of Galectin-3 attenuates neuroinflammation and protects the retina and optic nerve of diabetic mice.

•Galectin-3 knockout mice present less retinal ganglion cell death than Wild-type mice after diabetes.•Galectin-3 knockout mice present less macrophage inflitration/proliferation within the optic nerve than Wild-type mice after diabetes.•Galectin-3 knockout mice macrophage/microglia within the optic nerve are less activated and less pro-inflammatory than Wild-type mice after diabetes.•Galectin-3 knockout mice astrocytes are less activated within the optic nerve than Wild-type mice after diabetes.•Galectin-3 knockout mice presents more myelinated fibers within the optic nerve than Wild-type mice after diabetes.