Abstract Abnormal lipid metabolism is a possible risk factor for diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy is considered to be the main cause of blindness. In recent years, studies have shown that serum lipids, such as total cholesterol, triglycerides, are related to the progress of diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema, and lipid-lowering drugs can delay the progress of diabetic retinopathy. With the development of lipidomics analysis methods such as chromatographic separation and mass spectrometry, lipid components other than conventional serum lipid markers have also been found to be related to the progression of diabetic retinopathy. The review summarizes the role of lipids and their derivatives in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy, and highlights the potential targets and prospects of lipid metabolism treatment for diabetic retinopathy.