Chapter contents
Overview
Sensory transduction
Central course
Primary visual cortex
Retinal deficits
Optic nerve damage
Chiasm damage
Damage posterior to chiasm
| Cranial Nerve II - Optic Nerve | Page 5 of 11 |
Central course
The entire area seen by an eye when it is focused on a central point is called the visual field of that eye.
Because rays of light reach the retina by converging and passing through the small opening of the pupil, the image of the entire visual field is projected onto the retina upside-down and reversed.
Therefore:
- The right half of the retina receives stimuli from the left visual field.
- The left half of the retina receives stimuli from the right half of the visual field.
- The upper half of the retina receives stimuli from the lower half of the visual field.
- The lower half of the retina receives stimuli from the upper half of the visual field.
Figure 2-5. Central course of the optic nerve.
