The effects of sodium salicylate on the expression of heat shock protein 27 (HSP27)during oxidative stress in tissue-cultured human lens epithelial cells were investigated. Cultured human lens epithelial cells (HLB-3) were divided into 3 groups: control group (group A), oxidation injury group (group B) and sodium salicylate group (group C). Apoptosis of human lens epithelial cells cultured in vitro was induced in the presence of 150 μmol/L H2O2. Cells viability and the expression of HSP27 were analyzed. Viability of the cells was measured by methyl thiazole tetrazolium (MTT)chromatometry. The expression of HSP27 in HLB-3 cells was detected by using immunohistochemistry and image analysis system. Sodium salicylate could induce the expression of HSP27, and the cells viability in group C was significantly higher than in group B (0.2667±0.01414 vs 0.2150±0.01080, P=0.012＜0.05). The average gray value of HSP27 in group B was less than that in group C (P=0.000＜0.05). The increased expression of HSP27 by sodium salicylate might play an important role in the protection of hydrogen peroxide-induced injury of human lens epithelial cells,suggesting that sodium salicylate could suppress, at least in part, the apoptosis of human lens epithelial cells.