Optic Disc

The position in the back of the eye where the nerve (along with an artery and vein) enters the eye corresponds to the "blind spot" since there are no rods or cones in these location. Normally, a person does not notice this blind spot since rapid movements of the eye and processing in the brain compensate for this absent information. This is the area that the ophthalmologist studies when evaluating a patient for glaucoma, a condition where the optic nerve becomes damaged often due to high pressure within the eye. As it looks like a cup when viewed with an ophthalmoscope, it is sometimes referred to as the Optic Cup.