Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in the economically active population in developed countries

Early detection and treatment of the disease is important and can be facilitated by proteomic approaches providing biomarkers

Retina, vitreous humour, aqueous humour and tear fluid could serve as sources for proteomic biomarkers of diabetic retinopathy

Advantage of tear samples is that they can be collected by noninvasively and tear proteome correlates with disease progression