optic nerve

noun

Anatomy.

1. either one of the second pair of cranial nerves, consisting of sensory fibers that conduct impulses from the retina to the brain.

optic nerve

noun

1. the second cranial nerve, which provides a sensory pathway from the retina to the brain

optic nerve

1. 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.

optic nerve

1. The nerve that carries electrical signals from the retina in the eye to the brain .

Word History and Origins

Origin of optic nerve¹

First recorded in 1605–15

Example Sentences

Diagnosed with alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare and aggressive cancer affecting soft tissue, Duong has a malignant mass blocking blood flow to his optic nerve.

From Los Angeles Times

But this can also lead to swelling in the brain and changes in the eye, including to the optic nerve, retina and even the shape of the eye.

From BBC

If left untreated, it typically migrates through the optic nerve to the brain, eventually metastasizing and taking the life of the child.

From Los Angeles Times

"Bradley was blind because he shook him that hard, he snapped his optic nerve and he had a can of Coke’s worth of blood between his brain and his skull," Bradley's mum, Sharon Boocock, said.

From BBC

In the inner layer, the fibers extend radially from the periphery of the optic nerve.

From Science Daily