Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a debilitating organ manifestation of diabetes. Currently, there is no technology that allows detection of early molecular changes in the eyes of individuals with diabetes. The clinical diagnosis of DR is based on visualizations of structural damages that are irreversible. Absent of early diagnosis and intervention, vision tends to rapidly decline. Over the past two decades we developed a novel approach for non-invasive detection of molecules in the retinal microvessels. A hurdle to translation remained generation of biodegradable nanoprobes that are sufficiently bright for in vivo detection. An adhesive fluorescent nanoprobe with high brightness was developed using biodegradable materials. Upon systemic injection, the nanoprobes adhered in the retinal microvessels of diabetic mice and were visualized as bright spots in live retinal microscopy. Our results establish the translational potential of these newly generated nanoprobes and open new possibilities for early diagnosis of DR with high specificity and quantitative accuracy.
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