This study characterized the stiffness and cytotoxicity of poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEG-DA) hydrogels for retinal tissue engineering applications. Various PEG-DA hydrogels with different molecular weights and concentrations were tested mechanically, and their effects on retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell viability were evaluated. The results showed that stiffer hydrogels with Young's moduli similar to a healthy eye tissue supported greater RPE cell viability. Specifically, a 10kDa PEG-DA hydrogel with 2X concentration maintained higher RPE cell viability after 1 day. Future work will involve incorporating a higher concentration of cell adhesion peptides and evaluating stem cell differentiation on the hydrogel scaffolds.