The current problems with corneal transplant,including shortage of donors and immune rejection,could be effectively solved by constructing cornea in vitro with tissue engineering techniques,in which the selection of suitable scaffold materials is especially critical.Chitosan and its derivatives are natural biomaterials with excellent biocompatibility,biodegradability,mechanical property and plasticity,indicating wide application prospects in corneal tissue engineering.This article systematically reviews the research advances in chitosan and its derivatives in corneal tissue engineering,and the existing problems are also highlighted in order to provide theoretical basis for further clinical research.