Retinal　diseases,　such　as　age-related　macular　degeneration,　diabetic　retinopathy,　and　retinoblastoma,　stand　as　the　leading　causes　of　irreversible　vision　impairment　and　blindness　worldwide.　Effectively　administering　drugs　for　retinal　diseases　poses　a　formidable　challenge　due　to　the　presence　of　complex　ocular　barriers　and　elimination　mechanisms.　Over　time,　various　approaches　have　been　developed　to　fabricate　drug　delivery　systems　for　improving　retinal　therapy　including　virus　vectors,　lipid　nanoparticles,　and　polymers.　However,　conventional　nanocarriers　encounter　issues　related　to　the　controllability,　efficiency,　and　safety　in　the　retina.　Therefore,　the　development　of　smart　nanocarriers　for　effective　or　more　invasive　long-term　treatment　remains　a　desirable　goal.　Recently,　approaches　have　surfaced　for　the　intelligent　design　of　nanocarriers,　leveraging　specific　responses　to　external　or　internal　triggers　and　enabling　multiple　functions　for　retinal　therapy　such　as　topical　administration,　prolonged　drug　release,　and　site-specific　drug　delivery.　This　Review　provides　an　overview　of　prevalent　retinal　pathologies　and　related　pharmacotherapies　to　enhance　the　understanding　of　retinal　diseases.　It　also　surveys　recent　developments　and　strategies　employed　in　the　intelligent　design　of　nanocarriers　for　retinal　disease.　Finally,　the　challenges　of　smart　nanocarriers　in　potential　clinical　retinal　therapeutic　applications　are　discussed　to　inspire　the　next　generation　of　smart　nanocarriers.