Human vision and function/Part 1: How the eye works/1.4 Anatomy of the visual pathway

1.4 Anatomy of the visual pathway
After completing this topic, you will understand the components of the visual pathway and how a visual image travels from the eye to the occipital lobe of the brain

Task
Watch these two lectorials as your introduction to the visual pathway.

Introduction to visual pathway

Visual nerve pathways

Supplementary reading
Snell RS & Lemp MA (1998) Clinical Anatomy of the Eye. 2nd Ed. Blackwell Publishing. Chapter 13: The Visual Pathway.

Neuroscience Online Section 14.1 Measures of Visual Sensation

Revision questions
Discuss the answers to these questions on your group LMS forum.


 * 1) Define “visual field”
 * 2) Define “visual pathway”
 * 3) What are the boundaries of the human visual field in on eye?
 * 4) What is the impact of the convex lens shape of the lens of the eye on how we see objects in our visual field?
 * 5) Describe what happens to the nerve fibres from the retina when they approach the optic chiasm.
 * 6) A tumour compressing the optic nerve from the temporal side of the left eye will affect the vision on which side of the visual field?
 * 7) At what structure does the optic tract terminate?
 * 8) What condition most commonly affects the optic radiations?
 * 9) Which part of a person’s visual field is most sensitive?
 * 10) Why is it important to accurately map a person’s visual field?

/Answers/