US Medical Term · anatomy
Optic Nerve
Nervio óptico
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Optic Nerve |
| Spanish (Español) | Nervio óptico |
| Chinese (中文) | 視神經 |
| Korean (한국어) | 시신경 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Dây thần kinh thị giác |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Optik na nerve |
| Portuguese (Português) | Nervo óptico |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | เส้นประสาทตา |
| Japanese (日本語) | 視神経 |
What it means
The optic nerve is a bundle of over a million nerve fibers that carries visual information from your retina to your brain. Each eye has its own optic nerve. The nerve exits the back of the eyeball and travels to the brain, where the two optic nerves cross at a junction called the optic chiasm. After crossing, the signals travel to the occipital lobe for processing. Glaucoma is a common disease that damages the optic nerve, often due to elevated pressure inside the eye. Inflammation of the optic nerve, called optic neuritis, can cause sudden vision loss and is sometimes associated with multiple sclerosis. The health of the optic nerve is checked during routine eye exams.
How to say it
Sentences a patient might use with a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or insurer:
My eye doctor said the pressure in my eye is damaging my optic nerve.
Mi oftalmólogo dijo que la presión en mi ojo está dañando mi nervio óptico.
I had sudden blurry vision in one eye — could it be my optic nerve?
Tuve visión borrosa repentina en un ojo — ¿podría ser mi nervio óptico?
Is the tumor near the pituitary gland pressing on my optic nerve?
¿El tumor cerca de la glándula pituitaria está presionando mi nervio óptico?
Where you'll see it
Related terms
Sources
Last reviewed: September 2026