Cataract surgical outcomes in diabetic patients has been subject to changes with the advances in the surgical techniques. Recent studies suggest that cataract surgery does not cause the progression of diabetic retinopathy and intravitreal bevacizumab and/or triamcinolone injections combined with cataract surgery may contribute in short term improvement of macular edema in diabetic patients. This article reviews the progression of diabetic retinopathy after cataract surgery with phacoemulsification and the use of adjuvant intravitreal treatments combined with phacoemusification in diabetic patients undergoing cataract surgery.