Objective To investigate the protective effect of naringenin on H₂O₂ -induced oxidative damage of human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells via the miR-34a / silent information regulator 1( SIRT1) axis. Methods MTT assay was used to detect the effect of naringenin at different concentrations on the survival rate of ARPE-19 cells treated with H₂O₂ , and the appropriate naringenin concentration for subsequent experiments was identified. ARPE-19 cells in logarithmic phase were divided into the control group, H₂O₂ group (200 μmol / L), 20 μg / mL naringenin group, 20 μg / mL naringenin+mimics NC group and 20 μg / mL naringenin +miR-34a mimics group. RT-qPCR was used to detect the expression of miR-34a and SIRT1 mRNA, MTT assay and Annexin V-FITC/ PI double staining were used to detect cell survival and apoptosis, respectively. A fluorescence probe was used to detect the level of ROS, and a biochemical method was used to detect the activity of SOD and levels of MDA and GSH. JC-1 method was used to detect the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and Western blot was used to detect the proteins expression of SIRT1 and Bcl-2, Bax and Caspase-3. Results The expression of miR-34a, apoptosis rate, contents of ROS and MDA and expression of Bax and Caspase-3 in ARPE-19 cells were significantly increased in the H₂O₂ group compared with those in the control group (P< 0.05). The expression of SIRT1 mRNA, survival rate of APRE-19 cells, contents of SOD and GSH, level of MMP, expression of SIRT1 and Bcl-2 were significantly decreased in the H₂O₂ group compared with those in the control group (P< 0.05). Naringenin improved the damage of ARPE-19 cells induced by H₂O₂ , down-regulated the expression of miR-34a, decreased the contents of ROS, MDA, Bax and Caspase-3 (P<0.05), up-regulated the expression of SIRT1, MMP and Bcl-2 and increased the activities of GSH and SOD compared with effects in the H₂O₂ group (P<0. 05). Up-regulation of miR-34a expression in ARPE-19 cells reversed the protective effect of naringenin on H₂O₂ -induced oxidative damage in RPE cells. Conclusions Naringenin down-regulates miR-34a, promotes the expression of SIRT1, inhibits the apoptosis of RPE cells and protects RPE cells from oxidative damage induced by H₂O₂ .