Objective To investigate the degenerative changes in the inner rat retina after photic injury. Methods After 24 hour-dark adaptation, sixty Lewis rats were exposed in a ventilated green plexiglass chamber that transmitted continuous green light between 480-520 nm with an intensity of 900～1 000 lx. After 24-hour exposure, the rats stayed in darkness and were sacrificed after 1 day, 3,7 or 14 days. The neurons in the inner retina were marked by immunohistochemical technique and observed by light and electronic microscope. Results The apoptotic photoreceptor cells were noted after photic injury. The degeneration and decreasing number of rod bipolar cells were found after 3 days; the edema of horizontal cells occurred after 1 day but ameliorated gradually; decreasing number of amacrine cells was found after 1 day; sustained edema of ganglion cells and prolifeeration of the M?ller cells were found after photic injury. Pyknotic and edematous neruronal degenerations of inner retina were found in ultrastructural study. Conclusion The neurons in the inner retina as well as M?ller cells are involved in the degeneration after photic injury. Different neurons manifest different patterns of degeneration.