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optic nerve

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optic nerve

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


Origin:
1605–15
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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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.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Cultural Dictionary

optic nerve

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

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: optic nerve
Function: noun
: either of the pair of sensory nerves that comprise the second pair of cranial nerves, arise from the ventral part of thediencephalon, form an optic chiasma before passing to the eye and spreading over the anterior surface of the retina, and conduct visual stimuli to the brain called also second cranial nerve
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

optic nerve n.
A nerve that originates from the retina, passes out of the eye socket to the chiasm, where part of its fibers cross to the opposite side and pass to the geniculate bodies and anterior quadrigeminal body. Also called second cranial nerve.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Science Dictionary
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.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Encyclopedia

optic nerve

second cranial nerve, which carries sensory nerve impulses from the more than one million ganglion cells of the retina toward the visual centres in the brain. The vast majority of optic nerve fibres convey information regarding central vision

Learn more about optic nerve with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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