optic nerve

optic nerve

n.

Either of the second pair of cranial nerves that arise from the retina and carry visual information to the thalamus and other parts of the brain.

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optic nerve

Noun

a cranial nerve of vertebrates that conducts nerve impulses from the retina of the eye to the brain

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optic nerve

Either of the second pair of cranial nerves, which carry sensory information relating to vision from the retina of the eye to the brain. Disease or injury of the optic nerve can result in partial or total blindness.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

optic nerve - the cranial nerve that serves the retina nervus opticus, optic tract, second cranial nerve visual system - the sensory system for vision cranial nerve - any of the 12 paired nerves that originate in the brain stem betweenbrain, diencephalon, interbrain, thalmencephalon - the posterior division of the forebrain; connects the cerebral hemispheres with the mesencephalon