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Visual Pathway

RETINAL BIPOLAR AND GANGLION CELLS:

Visual Pathway
Anatomy There are two types of photoreceptors in the human retina, rods and cones. Rods and cones are the rst-order receptor cells that respond
FRCEM Success directly to light stimulation. Bipolar neurons are the second-order neurons that relay stimuli from the rods and cones to the retinal ganglion
cells.

OPTIC NERVE:

The optic nerve is formed by the convergence of axons from the retinal ganglion cells. The optic nerve leaves the bony orbit via the optic canal,
a passageway through the sphenoid bone. It enters the cranial cavity, running along the surface of the middle cranial fossa (in close proximity
to the pituitary gland).

OPTIC CHIASM:

Within the middle cranial fossa, the optic nerves from each eye unite to form the optic chiasm.

OPTIC TRACTS:
KEYWORDS
Lateral Geniculate Nucleus Occipital Lobe At the optic chiasm, bres from the medial (nasal) half of each retina cross over, forming the right and left optic tracts.

Optic Chiasm Optic Nerve The left optic tract contains bres from the left lateral (temporal) retina and the right medial retina.
Optic Radiation Optic Tract Retina The right optic tract contains bres from the right lateral retina and the left medial retina.

Visual Cortex Visual Field Each optic tract travels to its corresponding cerebral hemisphere to reach its lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) located in the thalamus where the
bres synapse.
Visual Pathway
OPTIC RADIATION:

RELATED TOPICS Axons from the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) then carry visual information, via the upper and lower optic radiations, to the visual cortex in
Anatomy Central Nervous System the occipital lobe:

Cranial Nerve Lesions The upper optic radiation carries bres from the superior retinal quadrants (corresponding to the inferior visual eld quadrants) and
travels through the parietal lobe to reach the visual cortex.
The lower optic radiation carries bres from the inferior retinal quadrants (corresponding to the superior visual eld quadrants) and travels
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through the temporal lobe to reach the visual cortex of the occipital lobe.

VISUAL CORTEX:

At the visual cortex, the brain processes the sensory information and responds appropriately.

VISUAL PATHWAY. (IMAGE BY MIQUEL PERELLO NIETO (OWN WORK) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (HTTP : //CRE ATIV ECO MMO NS.O RG/L ICE NSES/BY-SA/4.0)] , VIA W IKIMEDIA

COMMON S)

Blood Supply

Table: Blood Supply of the Visual Pathway

Structure Blood Supply

Optic nerve (retinal and orbital part) Central retinal artery (branch of the ophthalmic artery)

Optic nerve (intracranial part) and optic chiasm Ophthalmic artery, anterior cerebral and anterior communicating arteries

Optic tract Posterior communicating artery and anterior choroidal artery

Lateral geniculate nucleus Posterior cerebral artery and anterior choroidal artery

Optic radiations Middle and posterior cerebral arteries, anterior choroidal artery

Visual cortex Posterior cerebral artery (macular dually supplied by middle cerebral artery)

Likely Causes of Disease or Injury

Damage to the optic nerve may be caused by:

optic neuritis in multiple sclerosis or secondary to measles or mumps

optic nerve compression secondary to orbital cellulitis, glaucoma or ocular tumours
optic nerve toxicity secondary to ethambutol, methanol and ethylene glycol
optic nerve damage secondary to orbital fracture or penetrating injury to the eye
optic nerve ischaemia

Compression at the optic chiasm may occur due to:

pituitary tumour
craniopharyngioma
meningioma
optic glioma
aneurysm of the internal carotid artery

Damage to the visual tract central to the optic chiasm may be caused by:

cerebrovascular event
brain abscess
brain tumours

Common Clinical E ects

Table: Clinical E ects of Lesions of the Visual Pathway

Site of Lesion Visual Defect

Optic nerve Ipsilateral visual loss

Optic chiasm Bitemporal hemianopia

Optic tract Contralateral homonymous hemianopia

Parietal upper optic radiation Contralateral homonymous inferior quadrantanopia

Temporal lower optic radiation Contralateral homonymous superior quadrantanopia

Occipital visual cortex Contralateral homonymous hemianopia with macular sparing

CLINICAL EFFECTS OF LESIONS OF THE VISUAL PATHWAY. (IMAGE MODIFIED BY FRCEM SUCCESS. ORIGINAL BY KDS4 4 4 [P UBL IC DO MAIN] , V IA W IKIME DIA

COMMON S)