Background This study aimed to explored the effect of lncRNA-UCA1 on retinoblastoma (RB) and its potential molecular mechanisms.Methods In our study, the expression of lncRNA-UCA1 was measured by qRT-RCR in both RB tissues and RB HXO-RB44 and Y79 cells. The relationship between lncRNA-UCA1 expression and clinical parameters in RB patients were evaluated. Cell proliferation, cell clones, apoptosis and cell cycle of HXO-RB44 and Y79 cells were measured by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, colony formation assay and flow cytometry, respectively. In addition, the expressions of PCNA, Caspase-3, survivin, p16, p21, CDK2, PI3K, p-PI3K, Akt, p-Akt and S6k in HXO-RB44 and Y79 cells were measured by western blot.Results lncRNA-UCA1 was highly expressed in both RB tissues and RB HXO-RB44 and Y79 cells. Moreover, the expression of lncRNA-UCA1 in RB patients was remarkedly correlated with tumor size, optic nerve invasion and pathologic grade. lncRNA-UCA1 markedly facilitated cell proliferation and cell cycle procession, as well as inhibited cell apoptosis in HXO-RB44 and Y79 cells. lncRNA-UCA1 dramatically increased the expression of S6k and the phosphorylation of PI3K and Akt in RB cells. LY294002 (PI3K inhibitor) reversed the effects of lncRNA-UCA1 on RB cell proliferation, apoptosis and cell cycle procession.Conclusions Our study indicated that lncRNA-UCA1 could promote cell proliferation and cell cycle procession, as well as inhibit cell apoptosis in RB via activating PI3K/Akt pathway.