AIM: To analyze the progress in diabetic retinopathy (DR) researches between 2000 and 2010 through bibliometric study. METHODS: Using ISI Web of Science database for statistical sources, we retrieved DR literatures during 2000-2010, analyzed "the number of published articles per year, authors, source publications, subject category, document type, document language, institution and country/region" by bibliometric statistical methods. RESULTS: The total number of published articles that were retrieved for the years during 2000-2010 was 8590. DR researches changed as a linear upward trend, the main researches focused on ophthalmology, endocrine and metabolic diseases. Article was the main document type. Harvard University was the major research institution. CONCLUSION: There has achieved a significant increase in the number of ISI publications and collaborations in DR literatures from 2000 to 2010. With the rising of the number of diabetes in the world, diabetic retinopathy has become a focus of scientific researches.