SUMOylation is a post-translational modification consisting of covalent conjugation of ubiquitin-like proteins called small ubiquitin related modifier(SUMO). SUMO modification has been shown to significantly alter protein activity, which can modulate protein stability, affect protein-protein interactions, and modify protein localization and trafficking.This process adds another layer of control in eukaryote gene expression, and it regulates both transcriptional activation and repression. This article reviews the current situation and future development of SUMOylation in ophthalmology.