The optic radiation, also known as geniculocalcarine tract, is part of the visual pathway, forming the connection between the lateral geniculate nucleus of the pulvinar of the thalamus with the primary visual cortex of the occipital lobe. This pathway is formed by the axons of neurons correlating to the contralateral visual field.

In neuroanatomy, the optic radiation (also known as the geniculocalcarine tract, the geniculostriate pathway, and posterior thalamic radiation) are axons from the neurons in the lateral geniculate nucleus to the primary visual cortex.

Optic radiations refer to the white matter tracts that make up the majority of the lateral wall of the atrium of the lateral ventricle. These tracts are important in the visual system as they play a role in communicating with the pulvinar for serial visual processing.

The Meyer loop (also sometimes known as Archambault loop) is part of the inferior optic radiation that sweeps back on itself into the temporal lobe, just lateral to the temporal horn of the lateral ventricle.

The optic radiation fibers of one side can be divided into three bundles, dorsal or superior, external or middle, and ventral or inferior bundles. The superior and inferior bundles correspond, respectively, to the inferior and superior visual fields, while the middle bundle corresponds to the central visual field of the macula.