Proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) is a complication of ocular trauma, rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD), and also a common cause of RRD repair surgery failure.Abnormal proliferation, migration and epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells play a leading role in the formation of PVR epiretinal membrane.Rapamycin is the specific inhibitor of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). It selectively binds to the cell protein FKBP-12 and directly binds to the FKBP12-rapamycin domain (FRB) of FKBP rapamycin associated protein (FRAP) to inhibit mTOR activity.Rapamycin has a variety of rapalog (rapamycin analog), which inhibits cell proliferation and regulate cell cycle by inhibiting mTOR signal transduction pathway.It also plays a certain role in inhibiting RPE cell abnormal proliferation, migration and EMT in PVR, and protecting the repair of glial cells, inhibiting the inflammatory cells and preventing the vascular endothelial cell damage.In recent years, the clinical trials and drug studies have shown the important role of rapamycin in ocular diseases.In addition, the evidence on ocular administrations and drug safety of rapamycin has been gradually accumulated.This article reviewed the protective effects and safety of rapamycin on RPE cells and other cells in PVR.