Diabetic retinopathy is the main cause of low vision and blindness in adults, and its pathogenesis is complex. Animal models can help us to understand the pathogenesis of diseases more comprehensively. A reasonable animal model is the key to explore the pathogenesis of diseases. According to the clinical manifestations of diabetic retinopathy, drug-induced, high-fat and high-sugar diet and genetic animal models were introduced in this paper. In addition, the pathological characteristics of animal models of diabetic retinopathy induced by different method were briefly summarized in order to provide reference for the research on the mechanism of diabetic retinopathy and the corresponding drug development.