Orbital artery

Orbital Artery

Orbital Artery and its branches

The Orbital Artery is a significant blood vessel that supplies blood to the structures within the orbit and the eye. It is a branch of the internal carotid artery.

Anatomy

The Orbital Artery arises from the internal carotid artery in the cavernous sinus. It then travels forward, entering the orbit through the optic canal alongside the optic nerve. Within the orbit, it gives off several branches to supply the structures within, including the eyeball, eyelids, lacrimal gland, extraocular muscles, and parts of the ethmoid bone and frontal bone.

Branches

The Orbital Artery gives off several branches, including:

• Supraorbital artery
• Lacrimal artery
• Posterior ethmoidal artery
• Anterior ethmoidal artery
• Medial palpebral arteries
• Frontal artery
• Nasal artery

Clinical significance

Knowledge of the Orbital Artery's anatomy is crucial in several surgical procedures involving the orbit and eye, including orbital decompression for thyroid eye disease and orbital fracture repair.

See also

• Ophthalmic artery
• Central retinal artery
• Ciliary arteries