A large part of neuronal death is the result of episodes of anoxia and ischaemia in the retina and other eye diseases, such as anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, glaucoma. The neuronal death is due to the accumulation of glutamate in the extracellular space. Glutamate is the primary excitatory neurotransmitter in the retina. However, excessive overactivation of glutamate receptors leads to excitotoxic neuronal cell death. Glutamate induces cell death by increasing the levels of intracellular Ca2+ in neurons, thereby leading to generation of free radicals and activation proteases, as well as transcriptional activation of specific cell death programs. Glutamate excitoxicity can also cause neuronal mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) loss, which is associated with changes in mitochondrial function leading to a neuronal dysfunction.