A 21-year-old member asked:
What is the optic nerve?
2 doctor answers • 5 doctors weighed in
Dr. Ankush Bansalanswered
Internal Medicine 17 years experience
The vision conduit: The optic nerve (cranial nerve ii) is a large nerve or conduit that transmits electrical signals generated when light particles (photons) hit the retina inside the eye to the occipital lobe of the brain which then converts these signals into the sense of vision. It is like an electrical wire from the eye to brain. If this nerve is damaged by trauma or disease, vision will be affected or lost.
6.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Howard Pomeranzanswered
Ophthalmology 28 years experience
Optic nerve: The optic nerve is at the back of the eyeball and transmits visual information from the eye to the brain.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
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Similar questions
A 42-year-old member asked:
What's an elevated optic nerve?
2 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurosurgery 54 years experience
Nerve swelling: Elevated optic nerve means one which which protrudes from the optic disc in back of the eye. This may developmental, or related to eye shape, or to swelling of optic nerve. Ask your ophthalmologist to explain these possibilities to you--it's part of his/her responsibility--i.e., education, instead of baffling you with medicalese.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 30-year-old member asked:
Are there people with no optic nerve?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
Dr. Richard Bensingeranswered
Ophthalmology 52 years experience
Birth defect: A few are born with significant maldevelopment (mostly loss) of an eye with loss also of the optic nerve. There are many with varying degrees of optic nerve dysfunction but they of course still have a nerve. An eye with no optic nerve would be totally blind.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 30-year-old member asked:
What could block the optic nerve ?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
Dr. Richard Bensingeranswered
Ophthalmology 52 years experience
Many causes: The optic nerve can be affected by trauma, infection, vascular occlusion, tumors in the optic canal or on the pituitary, or inflammatory processes like multiple sclerosis. If there is a sudden change in the vision, which is a hallmark of optic nerve dysfunction, see your ophthalmologist right away.
4.8k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 21-year-old member asked:
Explain the optic nerve?
4 doctor answers • 6 doctors weighed in
Dr. James Leaminganswered
Specializes in Emergency Medicine
Cranial nerve II: The optic nerve transmits visual information from the retina to the brain. It represents the only peripheral manifestation of the central nervous system.
6.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 39-year-old member asked:
What can I do for a swollen optic nerve?
3 doctor answers • 5 doctors weighed in
Dr. Yale Kanteranswered
Ophthalmology 61 years experience
Swollen optic nerve: There are inflammatory and non inflammatory causes for optic nerve swelling and so the treatment depends on the cause.
5.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
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Last updated Apr 24, 2016
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