AIM:To study whether exercise therapy is an effective treatment of diabetic retinopathy or not.METHODS:Eighty-four selected patients with diabetic retinopathy were randomly divided into two groups,simple drug treatment was used for the control group,while drug treatment combined with exercise therapy for treatment group.Before and after treatment visual acuity,fundus,blood glucose,glycated hemoglobin were tested,and Hamilton Anxiety Scale,Hamilton Depression Rating Scale were used to score.RESULTS:The fundus improvement before and after treatment of experimental group was superior to that of control group.After movement intervention,blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin of experimental group significantly decreased;anxiety and depression symptoms in patients significantly reduced.CONCLUSION:Exercise therapy is an effective treatment of diabetic retinopathy.