Diabetic retinopathy is one of those significant complications of diabetes. With the increasing number of diabetic patients, blind caused by diabetic retinopathy is a serious threat to human health which cannot be neglected, but there is no highly effective treatment for it. Consequently, early detection and preventive treatment for it are important. Currently, studies have found that urine microalbumin had a close relation with diabetic retinopathy and that urine microalbumin might play an important role in early predicting of diabetic retinopathy. The review is about the diagnostic significance of urine microalbumin test for early diabetic retinopathy.