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<b>AIM:</b> To evaluate the influence of an intravitreal injection of bevacizumab and fasudil on the retinal vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), and caspase 3 levels in a diabetic rabbit model.<b>RESULTS:</b> There was a statistically significant difference in the VEGF and caspase 3 levels between groups (<i>P</i>=0.005 and <i>P</i> =0.013, respectively), but the TNFα level did not differ significantly between groups (<i>P</i>=0.792). It was found that VEGF levels were significantly lower in Group 1 and Group 3 than in Group 2 using the Mann-Whitney <i>U</i> test with the Bonferroni correction (<i>P</i>=0.004 for both comparison). There was no statistically significant difference between other groups with regard to VEGF levels (the <i>P</i> value ranged between 0.015 and 0.886). Although the <i>P</i> values of the caspase 3 levels were 0.015 for Group 1 and Group 4, 0.038 for Group 2 and Group 3, and 0.018 for Group 3 and Group 4, these <i>P</i> values remained above the threshold <i>P</i> value of 0.0083, which was the statistically significant level for post hoc tests.<b>CONCLUSION:</b> An intravitreal injection of bevacizumab decreased both the VEGF level, which plays a role in angiogenesis, and the caspase 3 level, which plays a role in apoptosis. Although not as effective as bevacizumab, fasudil had a beneficial effect on the VEGF levels but significantly increased the caspase 3 levels.