At present, the incidence rate of diabetes is in an increasing trend in our country. Diabetes can lead to serious metabolic disorders and various acute and chronic complications. Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the most common microvascular complications. In recent years, the incidence of DR has increased significantly among the patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, and DR has become one of the main causes of blindness all over the world. The etiology and pathogenesis of DR remain unclear, but many studies have shown that inflammatory cells, inflammatory factors and inflammatory signaling pathways work together to cause inflammatory cascade reaction, which play key roles in the occurrence and development of DR. This article reviews the research progress of inflammatory cells, inflammatory factors and inflammatory signaling pathways in the pathogenesis of DR, and elaborates the mechanism of inflammation in DR in order to further study its prevention and treatment and improve the quality of life in DR patients.