The optic pathway: the development of an eLearning animation

The optic pathway is responsible for sending visual information from the eyes to the brain via electrical impulses. It is essential that a sound understanding of this pathway is established in order to determine an accurate diagnosis concerning visual field defects. Although easy for trained neurologists to understand, it is an area which medical students repeatedly struggle to visualise. It is proposed that audio-visual teaching resources can improve students understanding of complex areas of importance. This article describes the development and evaluation of a short animation created for use in the undergraduate neurology curriculum at the University of Dundee School of Medicine.