<Tr> <Td> <Ul> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Ul> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> <P> The optic nerve, also known as cranial nerve II, is a paired nerve that transmits visual information from the retina to the brain . In humans, the optic nerve is derived from optic stalks during the seventh week of development and is composed of retinal ganglion cell axons and glial cells; it extends from the optic disc to the optic chiasma and continues as the optic tract to the lateral geniculate nucleus, pretectal nuclei, and superior colliculus . </P> <P> The optic nerve is the second of twelve paired cranial nerves and is technically part of the central nervous system, rather than the peripheral nervous system because it is derived from an out - pouching of the diencephalon (optic stalks) during embryonic development . As a consequence, the fibers of the optic nerve are covered with myelin produced by oligodendrocytes, rather than Schwann cells of the peripheral nervous system, and are encased within the meninges . Peripheral neuropathies like Guillain--Barré syndrome do not affect the optic nerve . However, most typically the optic nerve is grouped with the other eleven cranial nerves and considered to be part of the peripheral nervous system . </P>

What is the function of the optic nerve