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Optic Tract

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Encyclopedia of Ophthalmology
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Definition

The optic tract (OT) is the portion of the optic pathway that connects the optic chiasm to the lateral geniculate body (LGB) (Cummings 2013). Each OT contains the ipsilateral uncrossed temporal nerve fibers and contralateral nasal crossed nerve fibers that originate from the axons of the retinal ganglion cells (Binder et al. 2010). The blood supply of the OT derives from the anterior choroidal and posterior communicating arteries (Kanski and Bowling 2013). Damage to the OT may cause a contralateral relative afferent pupillary defect (RAPD), contralateral homonymous hemianopsia, and band optic atrophy (Friedman and Kaiser 2007).

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References

  • Cummings TJ (2013) Optic nerve. Ophthalmic pathology: a concise guide. Springer, New York, p 181

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  • Binder DK, Sonne C, Fischbein NJ (2010) Optic nerve. Cranial nerves: anatomy, pathology, imaging. Springer, New York, pp 9–23

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  • Kanski JJ, Bowling B (2013) Neuro-ophthalmology. Synopsis of clinical ophthalmology. Saunders, Philadelphia, pp 351–353

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  • Friedman NJ, Kaiser PK (2007) Neuro-ophthalmology. Essentials of ophthalmology. Saunders, Philadelphia, pp 47–86

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Correspondence to Andrew G. Lee .

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Chao, S., Almarzouqi, S.J., Morgan, M.L., Lee, A.G. (2015). Optic Tract. In: Schmidt-Erfurth, U., Kohnen, T. (eds) Encyclopedia of Ophthalmology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-35951-4_1219-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-35951-4_1219-1

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-35951-4

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