Visual Pathway and Visual Field Lesions

Flashcards covering key vocabulary of the visual pathway and visual field lesions.

Visual Field

The environment that you can see; it refers to the area visible to each eye.

Binocular Vision

The overlapping visual field seen by both eyes, allowing depth perception.

Photoreceptor Cells

Specialized cells in the retina, including rods and cones, that detect light.

Rods

Photoreceptors that are more sensitive to light and do not detect color.

Cones

Photoreceptors that require more light and are responsible for color vision and high visual acuity.

Bipolar Cells

First order neurons in the visual pathway, synapsing with photoreceptors and retinal ganglion cells.

Retinal Ganglion Cells

Second order neurons of the visual pathway that exit the retina and form the optic nerve.

Optic Chiasm

The point where the optic nerves from both eyes cross, allowing for the lateralization of visual information.

Lateral Geniculate Nucleus (LGN)

The thalamic relay nucleus for visual information, where second order neurons synapse.

Optic Radiations

Fibers that carry visual information from the LGN to the visual cortex.

Calcarine Sulcus

The location in the occipital lobe that contains the primary visual cortex.

Cortex

The outer layer of the brain responsible for processing visual information.

Homonymous Hemianopia

Visual field loss that occurs in the same side of both eyes.

Bitemporal Hemianopia

Visual field loss in the outer halves of the visual fields of both eyes.

Contralateral

Referring to the opposite side of the body in relation to a lesion or condition.

Meyer's Loop

The pathway taken by the inferior optic radiation fibers that carry information from the superior visual field.

Quadrantanopia

Visual field loss affecting one-fourth of the visual field.

Macular Sparing

Preservation of central vision (macula) despite loss of peripheral vision due to a lesion.

Anterior Choroidal Artery

An artery that supplies blood to the optic tract and lateral geniculate nucleus.

Posterior Cerebral Artery

The primary artery supplying the occipital lobe and visual cortices.