Abstract: OBJECTIVE To observe the clinical efficacy of epalrestat for moderate non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy. METHODS Seventy-five patients(124 eyes) with moderate non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy were diagnosed by the fundus fluorescein angiography(FFA) and randomly divided into two groups. Thirty-nine cases (64 eyes) in the study group were given oral epalrestat tablets at a dose of 50 mg three time a day for 3 months, and 36 cases (60 eyes) in the control group were given oral calcium dobesilate capsules at a dose of 0.5 g three times a day for 3 months. After 3 months the treatment effect of the two groups were compared with visual acuity and FFA examination. RESULTS The study group had a total effectiveness of 67.2% in the improvement of visual acuity, whereas the control group was 43.3%, and there was significant difference between the two groups(P<0.05). In the aspect of FFA fundus examination, epalrestat’s total effectiveness was 82.8% , while the total effectiveness of the control group was 63.3%, and there was significant difference between the two groups(P<0.05). CONCLUSION The efficacy of epalrestat tablets for the treatment of moderate non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy is better than calcium dobesilate capsules.