Diabetic retinopathy is a neurovascular complication of diabetes that can lead to vision loss and blindness. Current treatments primarily target the advanced stages of the disease when significant retinal damage has already occurred. Consequently, there is an urgent need for innovative interventions, particularly those effective in the early stages of the condition. Recent research from our group has identified a crucial role for the acrolein-derived advanced lipoxidation end-product, FDP-lysine, in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy. We have also discovered a new drug, 2-HDP, which is effective in scavenging acrolein and preventing retinal FDP-lysine accumulation during diabetes. In this talk, I will share our latest data regarding the pre-clinical effects of 2-HDP on the formation of the neurovascular lesions observed in diabetic retinopathy. Furthermore, I will introduce recent collaborative work utilising serial block face scanning electron microscopy (SBF-SEM) and computational image reconstruction, which has provided the first 3D nanoscale analysis of the neurovascular pathology associated with this condition. Our findings thus far suggest that acrolein scavenging drugs, such as 2-HDP, could offer an effective means to prevent the development of diabetic retinopathy before it reaches its advanced, sight-threatening stages. Moreover, the application of SBF-SEM presents a promising avenue for studying changes in the retinal neurovascular unit during diabetes, offering a valuable platform to inform future studies aimed at delaying or preventing the progression of this condition.