How do nerve impulses travel from the brain to the retina?

The correct pathway for nerve impulses traveling from the brain to the retina is indeed through the optic nerve. The optic nerve is a crucial structure that transmits visual information from the retina back to the brain, specifically to the visual cortex, for processing. The retina contains photoreceptor cells that convert light into electrical signals, which are then gathered by the ganglion cells in the retina. These ganglion cell axons form the optic nerve, which carries the visual information to the brain for interpretation.

The other choices involve different structures that do not function in transmitting nerve impulses from the brain to the retina. The cornea is part of the eye's outer layer that helps focus light but does not participate in the transmission of nerve impulses. The retinal vein is responsible for draining blood from the retina, not for transmitting nerve impulses. The ciliary body is involved in the production of aqueous humor and in the accommodation process for focusing but is also not involved in carrying nerve impulses from the brain to the retina.