Uveitis is one of the major sight-threatening diseases in ophthalmology. Animal models of experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU) are important models for the study of uveitis and systemic autoimmune diseases. Targeting immunologically privileged retinal antigens, EAU serves as a research tool to reveal basic mechanisms as well as to evaluate novel anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive drugs. This review details on the model induction methods, course of disease, criteria for evaluation, underlying mechanisms and research prospects.