Ophthalmologic Pathology: SY20-1 OCULAR PATHOLOGY, AN OVERVIEW: RETINA AND OPTIC NERVE.

The goal of this symposium is to present an overview of ocular pathology, and this lecture is dedicated to an overview of the pathology of the retina and optic nerve. The retina is a complex tissue lining the inner surface of the eye. It receives images from the outside world and transmits signals to the visual cortex in the occipital pole of the brain. The retina is basically neuroglial tissue, composed of ganglion cells (neurons) and glia (astrocytes within the nerve fiber layer and ganglion cell layer, and, Müller radial glia which extend from the inner limiting membrane to the outer limiting membrane). The pathology of some retinal disorders, including retinoblastoma, hemangioblastoma, and age-related macular degeneration, will be presented. The optic nerve is a white matter tract containing glia and axons, but not ganglion cells or Schwann cells. The axons originate from the retinal ganglion cells and course posteriorly within the retinal nerve fiber layer. Optic nerve pathology including optic nerve gliomas, optic nerve meningiomas, optic nerve choristoma, demyelinating disease, granulomatous inflammation, and ischemia, will be presented.

Duke Scholars

Author Thomas John Cummings Pathology