Complications of diabetes mellitus (DM) include diabetic retinopathy (RD) both non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). The development of RD depends on environmental and genetic factors. MnSOD gene (manganese-superoxid dismutase) is one of the candidate risk factors gene for RD. The presence of V16A MnSOD gene polymorphism results in decrease of mitochondrial MnSOD enzymes expression and triggers the oxidative stress. Hyperglycemia in DM increases oxidative stress in tissues, including the retina resulting in metabolic abnormalities in the retina, which play a role in the development of DM complications, namely diabetic retinopathy. In Indonesia, especially the Javanese tribes in Yogyakarta, there has never been any research on MnSOD gene polymorphism in type 2 diabetes patients with and without retinopathy. Subjects were Poly Endocrine patients and Eye Polyclinic patients of Dr. Sardjito’s General Hospital, 121 subjects consisting of 63 type 2 DM patients without retinopathy were group 1 (KI) and 58 type 2 DM patients with retinopathy were group 2 (KII) (20 NPDR subjects and 38 PDR subjects). V16A polymorphism of MnSOD gene from leukocytes DNA was analyzed by PCR-RFLP method. From 121 DM subjects, 70 subjects with VV genotype were found, 50 subjects with VA genotype and 1 subject with AA genotype. From 63 non-RD DM subjects, 22 subjects with VA genotypes and 41 subjects with VV genotype were found, while in DM with retinopathy (non-PDR, n = 20) found 6 subjects with VA genotype and 14 subjects with VV genotype, and in DM with retinopathy (PDR, n = 38) found 1 subject with AA genotype, 22 subjects with VA genotype and 15 subjects with VV genotype. In DM with retinopathy (NPDR and PDR, n = 58), 1 subject was found with AA genotype, 27 subjects with VA genotype and 29 subjects with VV genotype.