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Glite Dictionary
optic radiation

optic radiation

8.4
A group of nerve fibers that carries sight signals to the part of the brain that sees
  • noun
  • /ˈɑptɪk ˌreɪdiˈeɪʃən/
  • Specialized
translation icon : radiación óptica
  • The surgeon carefully identified the optic radiation during the brain operation to avoid any visual impairments.

Examples

  • A tunneling effect occurs as the blood drains from the parietal lobes and causes ischemia of the optic radiations.

    Academic text (1994)

  • The optic radiation transmits visual signals from the lateral geniculate body to the visual cortex.

  • The first one is the optic radiation in green is was what carries the signals into primary visual cortex.

  • And these fibers here for Meyer's loop are part of the optic radiations, the type that represents the upper visual field.

  • Damage to the optic radiation can result in specific visual field deficits.

Synonyms

radiatio optica
vsoptic radiation
  • Specialized
9.9

A bundle of nerve fibers that carries signals from the eye area to the visual part of the brain

is identical in meaning but uses the common English name instead

Surface Forms

optic radiation singular
optic radiations plural

Morphology

optic + radiation

The compound combines 'optic' (relating to vision) with 'radiation' (something that radiates or spreads), so a learner who knows both words can guess it concerns a vision-related spreading structure. However, the precise anatomical sense — a bundle of nerve fibers transmitting visual information — is technical and not fully predictable from the common meanings of 'radiation', making the term partially but not fully transparent to a B1 learner.

Etymology

Optic radiation comes from a simple image: optic means 'sight' and radiation shows rays spreading out like light. So the phrase helps you picture a fan of nerve fibers carrying messages about what you 'see' through the brain.