What term refers to the crossing of optic fibers from the retina?

The optic chiasm is the correct term that refers to the crossing of optic fibers from the retina. This structure is located at the base of the brain, where the optic nerves from each eye meet and partially cross over. This crossing allows visual information from the right visual field of both eyes to be processed in the left hemisphere of the brain and visual information from the left visual field to be processed in the right hemisphere.

Understanding the function of the optic chiasm is crucial in visual processing and in the study of brain injuries, as damage to this area can lead to specific types of visual field deficits. The crossing ensures that visual fields are integrated, allowing for depth perception and a single unified image.

The other terms listed do not specifically refer to this crossing feature. The striate cortex pertains to a specific area of the visual processing area in the brain, the optic tract refers to the pathway that carries visual information from the optic chiasm to the brain, and the visual field indicates the area in which a person can see.