MiRNAs are valuable biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis of cancers, so it is imperative to develop rapid, sensitive, high throughput miRNA detection methods. In this review article, the current nanoparticle-based miRNA detection by optical technology was summarized from the following aspects about fluorescence, scattering and colorimetry. And the emphasis is laid on employing quantum dots (QDs) and silver nanoclusters (AgNCs)based fluorescence and silver nanorod-based surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) to detect miRNAs. Nanoparticle-based optical detection is prospective for multiplexed miRNA detection or in vivo imaging.