The Optic Nerve is
the route by which information is sent from the eye for processing
by the brain. An optic nerve leaves the posterior surface of each eye
-
see
diagram.
The optic nerve is the second cranial nerve (II), so called because
this nerve transmits visual information. Each optic nerve contains approx.
one million fibres carrying information from the rods and cones of
the
retina.
The optic nerves progress from the posterior of the eyeball, into the
skull, through the optic chiasma (also known as the optic commissure),
then on to the cortex of the occipital lobe on each side of the brain.
The subject of visual (also known as "physiological")
optics is a key component of many courses within the fields of
both biology and physics. It is also an essential consideration
in the design of displays and control units used in many applications
from
televisions
and mobile telephones to advanced aircraft. In the context of engineering
"visual optics" is one of several medical and psychological topics in
the important area of "Human Factors".
For more information about the nervous system visit:
*_ Components
of the Central Nervous System,
*_ The
Pathway of a
Nerve Impulse,
*_ Structures
and Functions
of Neurones,
*_ Diseases
and
Disorders of the Nervous System.
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