Methods for the treatment and monitoring of diabetic retinopathy are provided. More specifically, the method for the treatment of diabetic retinopathy comprises administering to an individual suspected of having diabetic retinopathy a composition comprising an agent that inhibits the activity or expression of EMAPII or CXCR3. Methods for diagnosing and monitoring the progression of diabetic retinopathy in an individual, or monitoring the efficacy of a therapy for diabetic retinopathy are provided. More specifically, the method comprises determining the levels of EMAPII in a biological sample from an individual and comparing them to a control or reference sample, or a chronological sample from the individual.
