Abstract: ob＜x＞jective To evaluate whether the rs5219 sequence of KCNJ11 gene and rs1801157 sequence of SDF-1 β gene are correlated with type 2 diabetes and diabetic retinopathy. Methods The polymerase chain reaction- restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method was used to analyze and compare the above gene loci and genotypes in 230 diabetic patients and 230 controls. Results The dominant model and the additive model of rs5219 and rs1801157 were related to diabetes, while the recessive model was not related to diabetes. In 230 diabetic patients, 98 patients had diabetic retinopathy. Further genetic polymorphism analysis showed that the dominant model of rs5219 sequence and the dominant model and additi ve model of rs1801157 sequence were significantly related to the risk of diabetic retinopathy. Conclusion KCNJ11 (rs5219) and SDF-1β (rs1801157) polymorphism are related with the developmen t of diabetes and diabetic retinopathy.