Traumatic optic neuropathy and glaucoma can cause optic nerve degenerative changes leading to a significant decline in vision, which seriously affects the quality of life of patients.In recent years, research on mammalian optic nerve injury models has found that optic nerve injury involves pathophysiological processes such as apoptosis, inflammatory response, and oxidative stress.Researchers have explored the relevant mechanisms and regulatory signaling pathways of optic nerve injury, and have conducted research on the protection of optic nerve injury in the fight against retinal ganglion cell (RGC) apoptosis, new drug therapy, gene therapy, stem cell transplantation and natural extracts.Studies have shown that glucose regulatory protein 75, a member of the heat shock protein 70 family, and melatonin naturally secreted in the human retina may play an important role in the regulation of RGC apoptosis.Human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) may play a protective role in RGC by directly activating the intrinsic G-CSF receptor and downstream signaling pathway.Targeting gene therapy is expected to become a powerful therapy for repair and regeneration of injured optic nerve.Adipose stem cell transplantation can resist the apoptosis of retinal cells in rat model.In addition, lycium barbarum polysaccharide can delay the secondary degeneration of axons, which may be a promising natural extract to delay the secondary degeneration of optic nerve injury.This article summarized the mechanism, regulation and protection of optic nerve injury.