Practice 80 high-yield Optometry and Ophthalmology mcq on the Visual Pathway Includes answers with short explanations for NEET PG, NEXT, AIIMS, and MRCSEd exam preparation.
General Anatomy
1. The optic nerve is formed by axons of:
A. Amacrine cells
B. Bipolar cells
C. Ganglion cells
D. Horizontal cells
View Answer
C. Ganglion cells ✅
2. Length of optic nerve is about:
A. 35 mm
B. 40 mm
C. 25 mm
D. 50 mm
View Answer
Exp: Average length ≈ 35 mm.
3. Portion of optic nerve within eyeball:
A. 1 mm
B. 1.5 mm
C. 2 mm
D. 3 mm
View Answer
B. 1.5 mm ✅ Exp: Intraocular portion ≈ 1.5 mm.
Optometry and Ophthalmology mcq Optic Nerve Segments
4. Intraorbital part of optic nerve measures:
A. 20 mm
B. 25 mm
C. 30 mm
D. 35 mm
View Answer
A. 20 mm ✅ Exp: Orbital segment ≈ 20 mm.
5. Intracanalicular part length:
A. 2 mm
B. 4–10 mm
C. 12 mm
D. 15 mm
View Answer
B. 4–10 mm ✅Exp: In optic canal ≈ 4–10 mm.
6. Intracranial part length:
A. 5 mm
B. 10 mm
C. 15 mm
D. 20 mm
View Answer
A. 5 mm ✅ Exp: Between optic canal and chiasma.
7. Optic nerve is surrounded by:
A. Only pia mater
B. All three meninges
C. Dura + pia only
D. Arachnoid only
View Answer
B. All three meninges ✅ Exp: Like brain, optic nerve has dura, arachnoid, pia.
8. Raised ICP can cause papilledema due to:
A. Vitreous compression
B. Subarachnoid space continuity
C. Venous congestion
D. Choroidal leakage
View Answer
B. Subarachnoid space continuity ✅ Exp: CSF pressure transmitted via subarachnoid space.
9. Optic chiasma is located above:
A. Pituitary gland
B. Pons
C. Midbrain
D. Cerebellum
View Answer
A. Pituitary gland ✅ Exp: Lies just above pituitary.
Optic Chiasma
10. Which fibres cross in chiasma?
A. Temporal retinal fibres
B. Nasal retinal fibres
C. Foveal fibres
D. All fibres
View Answer
B. Nasal retinal fibres ✅ Exp: Only nasal fibres decussate.
11. Percentage of fibres crossing at chiasma:
A. 30%
B. 50%
C. 70%
D. 90%
View Answer
B. 50% ✅
12. Lesion at optic chiasma leads to:
A. Central scotoma
B. Bitemporal hemianopia
C. Homonymous hemianopia
D. Quadrantanopia
View Answer
B. Bitemporal hemianopia ✅ Exp: Crossing nasal fibres → temporal field loss.
13. Pituitary adenoma commonly produces:
A. Homonymous hemianopia
B. Bitemporal hemianopia
C. Binasal hemianopia
D. Central scotoma
View Answer
B. Bitemporal hemianopia ✅ Exp: Tumor compresses chiasma from below.
Optic Tracts & LGN
14 Optic tract carries fibres from:
A. Ipsilateral retina only
B. Contralateral retina only
C. Ipsilateral temporal + contralateral nasal
D. Entire ipsilateral field
View Answer
C. Ipsilateral temporal + contralateral nasal ✅ Exp: Each tract carries contralateral visual field.
15. Lesion of optic tract produces:
A. Central scotoma
B. Homonymous hemianopia
C. Bitemporal hemianopia
D. Quadrantic scotoma
View Answer
B. Homonymous hemianopia ✅ Exp: Loss of contralateral field.
16. Lateral geniculate body belongs to:
A. Thalamus
B. Midbrain
C. Pons
D. Medulla
View Answer
A. Thalamus ✅ Exp: LGN = thalamic relay.
17. LGN layers are:
A. 2
B. 4
C. 6
D. 8
View Answer
C. 6 ✅ Exp: Six layers receive crossed and uncrossed fibres.
18. Magnocellular layers of LGN:
A. 1 and 2
B. 3 and 4
C. 5 and 6
D. 4,5,6
View Answer
A. 1 and 2 ✅ Exp: Layers 1 & 2 = magnocellular (motion).
Optic Radiations & Cortex
19. Fibres from LGN reach cortex via:
A. Internal capsule
B. Optic radiations
C. Spinothalamic tract
D. Corticospinal tract
View Answer
B. Optic radiations ✅ Exp: LGN → optic radiations.
20. Optic radiations are also called:
A. Geniculocalcarine tract
B. Spinocortical tract
C. Retinotectal tract
D. Corticospinal tract
View Answer
A. Geniculocalcarine tract ✅ Exp: Geniculocalcarine = optic radiations.
Visual Cortex
21. Lesion of Meyer’s loop causes:
A. Superior quadrantanopia
B. Inferior quadrantanopia
C. Bitemporal hemianopia
D. Central scotoma
View Answer
A. Superior quadrantanopia ✅ Exp: “Pie in the sky” defect.
22. Fibres in parietal lobe represent:
A. Superior retina
B. Inferior retina
C. Nasal retina
D. Temporal retina
View Answer
A. Superior retina ✅ Exp: Superior retina → inferior visual field.
23. Primary visual cortex is located around:
A. Calcarine sulcus
B. Central sulcus
C. Sylvian fissure
D. Precentral sulcus
View Answer
A. Calcarine sulcus ✅ Exp: Area 17, occipital lobe.
24. Brodmann area of primary visual cortex:
A. Area 15
B. Area 17
C. Area 18
D. Area 19
View Answer
B. Area 17 ✅ Exp: Area 17 = striate cortex.
25. Brodmann area of primary visual cortex:
A. Area 15
B. Area 17
C. Area 18
D. Area 19
View Answer
B. Area 17 ✅ Exp: Area 17 = striate cortex.
26. Macular fibres occupy:
A. Periphery of optic nerve
B. Central part of optic nerve
C. Peripheral retina
D. Lateral geniculate body only
View Answer
B. Central part of optic nerve ✅ Exp: Centrally located in optic nerve.
27. Cortical magnification is greatest for:
A. Periphery
B. Macula
C. Optic disc
D. Iris
View Answer
B. Macula ✅ Exp: Macula occupies large cortical area
28. Visual association areas are:
A. Area 17
B. Areas 18 and 19
C. Area 4
D. Area 6
View Answer
B. Areas 18 and 19 ✅ Exp: 18,19 = interpretation.
Applied/Clinical
29. Lesion of optic nerve causes:
A. Central scotoma
B. Bitemporal hemianopia
C. Homonymous hemianopia
D. Quadrantanopia
View Answer
A. Central scotoma ✅ Exp: Affects monocular vision.
30. Junctional scotoma occurs due to:
A. Optic tract lesion
B. Chiasmal lesion involving one optic nerve
C. LGN lesion
D. Cortical lesion
View Answer
B. Chiasmal lesion involving one optic nerve ✅ Exp: Involves one eye + contralateral temporal field.
31. Lesion of LGN causes:
A. Homonymous hemianopia
B. Central scotoma
C. Monocular blindness
D. Binasal field defect
View Answer
A. Homonymous hemianopia ✅ Exp: LGN lesion → contralateral field defect.
32. Bilateral occipital lobe lesion leads to:
A. Cortical blindness
B. Central scotoma
C. Binasal hemianopia
D. Quadrantanopia
View Answer
A. Cortical blindness ✅ Exp: No visual perception despite intact eyes.
33. Papilledema is seen in:
A. Raised intracranial pressure
B. Hypotension
C. Diabetes
D. Cataract
View Answer
A. Raised intracranial pressure ✅ Exp: Due to CSF pressure on optic disc.
34. Central scotoma is most commonly seen in:
A. Optic neuritis
B. Cataract
C. Glaucoma
D. Retinal detachment
View Answer
A. Optic neuritis ✅ Exp: Optic neuritis damages central fibres.
35. Homonymous hemianopia indicates lesion:
A. Optic chiasma
B. Optic tract or beyond
C. Optic nerve
D. Cornea
View Answer
B. Optic tract or beyond ✅ Exp: Lesions posterior to chiasma.
36. Quadrantanopia is due to lesion of:
A. Optic nerve
B. Optic radiations
C. Chiasma
D. Retina
View Answer
B. Optic radiations ✅ Exp: Partial optic radiation involvement.
37. Congruous visual field defects are more likely with:
A. Optic nerve lesions
B. Cortical lesions
C. Chiasmal lesions
D. Retinal lesions
View Answer
B. Cortical lesions ✅ Exp: Higher lesions → more congruous defects.
38. Macular sparing in homonymous hemianopia occurs due to:
A. Dual blood supply from MCA + PCA
B. Pituitary compression
C. Retinal redundancy
D. Optic disc circulation
View Answer
A. Dual blood supply from MCA + PCA ✅ Exp: Macula has collateral blood supply.
Optometry and Ophthalmology mcq Optic Nerve – Details
39. Total number of fibres in optic nerve:
A. 0.5 million
B. 1.2 million
C. 2 million
D. 0.8 million
View Answer
B. 1.2 million ✅ Exp: Optic nerve has ~1.2 million axons.
40. Blood supply of optic nerve head is mainly from:
A. Central retinal artery
B. Short posterior ciliary arteries
C. Long ciliary arteries
D. Angular artery
View Answer
B. Short posterior ciliary arteries ✅ Exp: Optic disc supplied by SPCAs.
41. Macular fibres occupy which part of optic nerve?
A. Central
B. Peripheral
C. Superior
D. Inferior
View Answer
A. Central ✅ Exp: Macular fibres lie in centre.
42. Optic nerve sheaths are direct extensions of:
A. Orbit fascia
B. Cranial meninges
C. Sclera
D. Periorbita
View Answer
B. Cranial meninges ✅ Exp: Dura, arachnoid, pia continue around nerve.
43. Which part of optic nerve is most vulnerable to raised ICP?
A. Intraorbital
B. Intraocular
C. Intracanalicular
D. Intracranial
View Answer
B. Intraocular ✅ Exp: Optic disc shows papilledema.
Optometry and Ophthalmology mcq Optic Chiasma – Applied
44. A lesion compressing centre of chiasma from below (pituitary tumor) →
A. Bitemporal hemianopia
B. Binasal hemianopia
C. Central scotoma
D. Homonymous hemianopia
View Answer
A. Bitemporal hemianopia ✅ Exp: Affects crossing nasal fibres.
45. A lesion compressing lateral chiasma (aneurysm ICA) →
A. Binasal hemianopia
B. Bitemporal hemianopia
C. Homonymous hemianopia
D. Central scotoma
View Answer
A. Binasal hemianopia ✅ Exp: Affects uncrossed temporal fibres.
46. Wilbrand’s knee is associated with:
A. Optic disc
B. Optic chiasma
C. Optic radiation
D. LGN
View Aswer
B. Optic chiasma ✅ Exp: Small bend of inferonasal fibres into contralateral nerve.
47. Junctional scotoma is due to lesion at:
A. Optic nerve-chiasma junction
B. Optic tract
C. LGN
D. Occipital cortex
View Answer
A. Optic nerve-chiasma junction ✅ Exp: Produces monocular + contralateral temporal field defect.
48. Superior chiasmal compression (craniopharyngioma) →
A. Bitemporal hemianopia, worse inferiorly
B. Central scotoma
C. Binasal hemianopia
D. Superior quadrantanopia
View Answer
A. Bitemporal hemianopia, worse inferiorly ✅ Exp: Superior chiasma fibres represent inferior fields.
Optometry and Ophthalmology mcq Optic Tracts & LGN – Applied
49. Each optic tract carries information from:
A. Ipsilateral visual field
B. Contralateral visual field
C. Ipsilateral eye
D. Temporal retina only
View Answer
B. Contralateral visual field ✅ Exp: Each tract represents contralateral visual field.
50. Lesion of left optic tract →
A. Right homonymous hemianopia
B. Left homonymous hemianopia
C. Bitemporal hemianopia
D. Central scotoma
View Answer
A. Right homonymous hemianopia ✅ Exp: Contralateral hemianopia.
51. LGN has how many layers?
A. 4
B. 6
C. 8
D. 10
View Answer
B. 6 ✅ Exp: Six layers in primates.
52. Ipsilateral eye fibres end in LGN layers:
A. 1, 2, 3
B. 4, 5, 6
C. 2, 4, 6
D. 1, 3, 5
View Answer
A. 1, 2, 3 ✅ Exp: Layers 2,3,5 = ipsilateral.
53. Contralateral eye fibres end in LGN layers:
A. 1, 2, 3
B. 4, 5, 6
C. 2, 3, 5
D. 1, 3, 5
View Answer
B. 4, 5, 6 ✅ Exp: Layers 1,4,6 = contralateral.
54. Parvocellular layers of LGN:
A. 1 and 2
B. 3, 4, 5, 6
C. 1 and 6
D. 2 and 3
View Answer
B. 3, 4, 5, 6 ✅ Exp: Small cells = color and detail.
55. Magnocellular layers transmit:
A. Color
B. Motion & gross form
C. Central vision
D. Foveal input
View Answer
B. Motion & gross form ✅ Exp: Layers 1 & 2 detect movement.
56. Lesion of LGN produces:
A. Homonymous hemianopia
B. Binasal defect
C. Central scotoma
D. Monocular blindness
View Answer
A. Homonymous hemianopia ✅ Exp: Contralateral visual field defect.
57. LGN sends fibres via:
A. Corticospinal tract
B. Optic radiations
C. Spinothalamic tract
D. Tectospinal tract
View Answer
B. Optic radiations ✅ Exp: LGN → primary visual cortex.
58. Retinotopic arrangement in LGN means:
A. Random connections
B. Spatial map of retina
C. Crossing only
D. Central scotoma
View Answer
B. Spatial map of retina ✅ Exp: Retinal points map onto LGN.
Optometry and Ophthalmology mcq Optic Radiations – Applied
59. Fibres of inferior retina pass through:
A. Parietal lobe
B. Temporal lobe (Meyer’s loop)
C. Occipital pole
D. Frontal lobe
View Answer
B. Temporal lobe (Meyer’s loop) ✅ Exp: Inferior retina → temporal loop.
60. Fibres of superior retina pass through:
A. Parietal lobe
B. Temporal lobe
C. Occipital pole
D. Frontal lobe
View Answer
A. Parietal lobe ✅ Exp: Superior retina → parietal lobe.
61. Temporal lobe lesion produces:
A. Superior quadrantanopia
B. Inferior quadrantanopia
C. Central scotoma
D. Binasal defect
View Answer
A. Superior quadrantanopia ✅ Exp: “Pie in the sky” defect.
62. Parietal lobe lesion produces:
A. Inferior quadrantanopia
B. Superior quadrantanopia
C. Bitemporal defect
D. Central scotoma
View Answer
A. Inferior quadrantanopia ✅ Exp: “Pie on the floor” defect.
63. Retinotopic mapping in visual cortex:
A. Fovea → occipital pole
B. Periphery → occipital pole
C. Retina → frontal cortex
D. Macula → cerebellum
View Answer
A. Fovea → occipital pole ✅ Exp: Foveal vision at occipital tip.
64. Macular fibres occupy large cortical area due to:
A. Large size of macula
B. Cortical magnification
C. More blood vessels
D. Higher pressure
View Answer
B. Cortical magnification ✅ Exp: Macula has maximum cortical representation.
65. Lesion in upper bank of calcarine sulcus →
A. Inferior quadrantanopia
B. Superior quadrantanopia
C. Bitemporal defect
D. Central scotoma
View Answer
A. Inferior quadrantanopia ✅ Exp: Upper bank = inferior field.
66. Lesion in lower bank of calcarine sulcus →
A. Superior quadrantanopia
B. Inferior quadrantanopia
C. Central scotoma
D. Binasal defect
View Answer
A. Superior quadrantanopia ✅ Exp: Lower bank = superior field.
67. Bilateral occipital lobe lesion →
A. Cortical blindness
B. Central scotoma
C. Tunnel vision
D. Binasal hemianopia
View Answer
A. Cortical blindness ✅ Exp: Destruction of visual cortex.
68. Anton’s syndrome is:
A. Blindness with denial of blindness
B. Blindness with hallucinations
C. Monocular blindness
D. Tunnel vision
View Answer
A. Blindness with denial of blindness ✅ Exp: Cortical blindness + denial.
Optometry and Ophthalmology mcq Clinical Cases
69. Optic neuritis most often causes:
A. Central scotoma
B. Bitemporal hemianopia
C. Tunnel vision
D. Quadrantanopia
View Answer
A. Central scotoma ✅Exp: Inflammation damages papillomacular bundle.
70. Tunnel vision is characteristic of:
A. Retinitis pigmentosa
B. Optic neuritis
C. Glaucoma
D. Macular degeneration
View Answer
A. Retinitis pigmentosa ✅ Exp: Peripheral field loss first.
71. Macular sparing hemianopia is due to:
A. Dual blood supply (MCA + PCA)
B. Redundant retinal fibres
C. Pituitary tumor
D. Myopia
View Answer
A. Dual blood supply (MCA + PCA) ✅ Exp: Macula preserved by MCA collaterals.
72. Temporal hemianopia occurs due to:
A. Lesion at optic chiasma
B. Optic tract lesion
C. Cortical lesion
D. Retina
View Answer
A. Lesion at optic chiasma ✅ Exp: Nasal fibres crossing affected.
73. Homonymous superior quadrantanopia is lesion of:
A. Temporal lobe
B. Parietal lobe
C. Chiasma
D. Retina
View Answer
A. Temporal lobe ✅ Exp: Meyer’s loop involvement.
74. Homonymous inferior quadrantanopia is lesion of:
A. Parietal lobe
B. Temporal lobe
C. Occipital pole
D. Chiasma
View Answer
A. Parietal lobe ✅ Exp: Parietal fibres → inferior field
75. Complete lesion of optic nerve leads to:
A. Monocular blindness
B. Bitemporal hemianopia
C. Homonymous hemianopia
D. Quadrantanopia
View Answer
A. Monocular blindness ✅ Exp: Whole eye affected.
76. Lesion at occipital pole →
A. Macular vision loss
B. Peripheral vision loss
C. Binasal hemianopia
D. Central scotoma
View Answer
A. Macular vision loss ✅ Exp: Occipital pole represents macula.
77. Lesion sparing occipital pole →
A. Macular sparing
B. Central scotoma
C. Monocular blindness
D. Arcuate scotoma
View Answer
A. Macular sparing ✅ Exp: Occipital tip spared → macula intact.
Optometry and Ophthalmology mcq
