We compared the degree of neurotoxic outcome in the retina exposed to three nitric oxide (NO) donors with different half-life of NO release. Intravitreal injection of NO donors resulted in a significant decrease in cell density in the ganglion cell layer and thinning of the inner plexiform layer in a half-life time-dependent manner. Concurrent injection of an NO-trapping reagent with an NO donor abolished NO donor-induced retinal damage. (+)-MK-801 also prevented NO-induced retinal damage, indicating that N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors are partly involved in NO-induced neurodegeneration. These results may be relevant to a pathogenic role of NO - glutamate receptor in several ophthalmic disorders.