ObjectiveTo compare the anxiety, depressive and personality characteristics between diabetes mellitus patients with or without diabetic retinopathy (DR), and look for psychological treatment and corresponding prevention measures. Methods435 diabetic patients were enrolled in this study from April to November 2014 in our hospital, including 178 DR cases (group A) and 257 cases without retinopathy (group B). All the patients completed a questionnaire, the Self-Rating Anxiety (SAS), the Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) and the big five personality scale (NEO-FFI), and were scored by eye doctors. According to the score, SAS can be divided into mild anxiety, moderate anxiety, and severe anxiety. SDS is divided into depression, mild depression, moderate depression and major depression. NEO-FFI was scored from emotional stability, outgoing, openness, easy-going and sense of responsibility. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to analyze the DR risk factors in those scores and education level, high blood pressure, age, alcohol consumption, occupation and other factors. ResultsThere were 110 cases of mild anxiety, 57 cases of moderate anxiety, 11 cases of severe anxiety; 74 cases without depression, 53 cases of mild depression, 31 cases of moderate depression, 20 cases with major depression in group A. There were 181 cases of mild anxiety, 53 cases of moderate anxiety, 23 cases of severe anxiety; 177 cases without depression, 44 cases of mild depression, 25 cases of moderate depression, 11 cases with major depression in group B. Group A patients had higher SAS, SDS scores than group B, the difference was statistically significant (P=0.035). Group B patients had higher NEO-FFI score in outgoing, easygoing, responsibility (P=0.022), lower NEO-FFI score in emotional stability (P=0.014) and same NEO-FFI score in openness(P=0.210)compare to Group A patients. Multiple linear regression analysis results showed that education level, high blood pressure, age, weight, drinking, occupation can affect the degree of changes in the retina (P=0.019). ConclusionsCompared with those without retinopathy, DR patients were more prone to anxiety and depression. They also had low score in personality characteristics of outgoing, easygoing, responsibility.