AIM: To investigate the anti-apoptotic effect of transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1) on chronic ocular hypertension. METHODS: The expression of TGF-β1 in retinal ganglion cells (RCGs) was measured using the immunohistochemiscal S-P method and real-time PCR in the normally control group, the ocular hypertension group (experimental group A), the ocular hypertension plus antibody intervention group (experimental group B) and the ocular hypertension plus antigen intervention group (experimental group C) at 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks postoperatively. The count of apoptotic RCGs was measured using the TUNEL method. RESULTS: The expression of TGF-β1 was significantly higher in experimental group C than that in other three groups (P＜0.05). The expression was the lowest in experimental group B (4.17%). A statistically significant difference was noted between the four groups (P<0.01). The count of apoptotic RCGs was statistically significantly lower in experimental group C than that in the experimental groups A and B (P<0.01). A statistically significant difference was noted in the count of apoptotic RCGs between these three experimental groups (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: TGF-β1 can inhibit the apoptosis of RCGs in rats with chronic ocular hypertension.