AIM:To investigate the effects of ERG in rats at simulated plateau-hypoxia environment.METHODS:Forty-five healthy Wistar rats were randomly divided into 650m(the altitude of Urumchi)altitude group,simulated 3000m altitude group and simulated 5000m altitude group.Rats in simulated 3000m altitude group and simulated 5000m altitude were put into the 3000m altitude hypobaric chamber and the 5000m altitude hypobaric chamber respectively.All of them underwent F-ERG a wave,b wave and Ops tests at the 7th day after bred.RESULTS:The amplitudes of F-ERG a wave,b wave and Ops in the simulated 5000m altitude group were significantly lower than those in the 650m altitude group and the simulated 3000m altitude group.The latencies of ERG and Ops were delayed in the simulated 3000m altitude group rats,without significant differences compared with the 650m altitude group(P>0.05).There were significant differences in the latencies of ERG and Ops between the 650m altitude group and the simulated 5000m altitude group,the simulated 3000m altitude group and the simulated 5000m altitude group(P<0.05).But there were no significant differences in the latencies of ERG and Ops between the simulated 3000m altitude group and the 650m altitude group(P>0.05).CONCLUSION:The retinal neurons were damaged in the simulated 5000m altitude group,which was not significant in the simulated 3000m altitude group.