neurooculaire

Neurooculaire is a term encountered mainly in French-language medical literature to describe the neural components of vision. It designates the parts and processes by which visual information is transmitted and transformed from the retina to the brain, and it is closely associated with the field of neuro-ophthalmology. In practice, neurooculaire considerations distinguish neurological causes of vision loss from diseases of the eye itself.

Anatomically, neurooculaire encompasses the retina, the optic nerve, the optic chiasm, the optic tracts, the lateral geniculate nucleus, the optic radiations, and the primary and higher visual cortices. The retina converts light into electrical signals; these signals travel through the optic nerve to the brain, where they are processed and interpreted. Several parallel pathways exist, including the geniculostriate pathway for detailed form and color, and non-geniculostriate routes that influence eye movements and circadian rhythms.

Disorders of the neurooculaire system may produce visual loss with neurologic features, or visual symptoms without ocular pathology. Examples include optic neuritis, ischemic optic neuropathy, chiasmatic compression, demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis, and elevated intracranial pressure causing papilledema. Afferent pupillary defects and field defects reflect lesions along the visual pathway rather than the retina.

Evaluation combines ophthalmologic examination with neuro-ophthalmologic assessment, perimetry, optical coherence tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging. Treatment targets the underlying cause—steroid therapy for inflammatory optic neuritis, management of intracranial pressure, tumor treatment, or rehabilitation for persistent deficits.

Prognosis varies by disease. Ongoing research in neurooculaire aims to better map visual pathways, improve imaging, and develop interventions to preserve or restore vision after neural injury.