Human vision and function/Part 1: How the eye works/1.4 Anatomy of the visual pathway
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1.4 Anatomy of the visual pathway
[edit | edit source]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
[edit | edit source]Watch these two lectorials as your introduction to the visual pathway.
Introduction to visual pathway
Supplementary reading
[edit | edit source]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
[edit | edit source]Discuss the answers to these questions on your group LMS forum.
- Define “visual field”
- Define “visual pathway”
- What are the boundaries of the human visual field in on eye?
- What is the impact of the convex lens shape of the lens of the eye on how we see objects in our visual field?
- Describe what happens to the nerve fibres from the retina when they approach the optic chiasm.
- 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?
- At what structure does the optic tract terminate?
- What condition most commonly affects the optic radiations?
- Which part of a person’s visual field is most sensitive?
- Why is it important to accurately map a person’s visual field?