To examine the associations between nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) defined lipoproteins and diabetic retinopathy (DR) in a population-based sample of adults with type 2 diabetes.In all, 921 persons with diabetes in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) were included. DR was assessed from retinal photographs. Lipoproteins were measured by NMR spectroscopy.After controlling for age, race/ethnicity, study centre and diabetes and vascular risk factors, no consistent patterns of associations between NMR-defined lipoprotein particle concentrations and subclass with DR were evident.The lack of association between NMR-defined lipoproteins and DR does not support clinical use of NMR spectroscopy for management of patients with DR.