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),
thenon 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. |
