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Artery: Ophthalmic artery
The ophthalmic artery and its branches.
Circle of Willis (Ophthalmic artery labeled at upper right)
Latin	arteria ophthalmica
Gray's	subject #146 568
Source	internal carotid
Branches	Lacrimal artery Supraorbital artery Posterior ethmoidal artery Anterior ethmoidal artery Internal palpebral artery Supratrochlear artery Dorsal nasal artery Long posterior ciliary arteries Short posterior ciliary arteries Anterior ciliary artery Central retinal artery Muscular artery
Vein	superior ophthalmic, inferior ophthalmic
MeSH	Ophthalmic+Artery

The ophthalmic artery is a branch of the internal carotid artery which supplies branches to supply the eye and other structures in the orbit. It enters the orbit together with the Optic nerve through the Optic canal.

Contents 1 Branches 1.1 Orbital group 1.2 Ocular group 2 Blood supply 3 Occlusion 4 Additional images 5 References 6 See also 7 External links

Branches

The branches of the ophthalmic artery are often subdivided into an orbital group and an ocular group [1].

Orbital group

The orbital group, distributing vessels to the orbit and surrounding parts, includes:

• Lacrimal artery
• Supraorbital artery
• Posterior ethmoidal artery
• Anterior ethmoidal artery
• Internal palpebral artery
• Supratrochlear artery, also known as the frontal artery
• Dorsal nasal artery

Ocular group

The ocular group, distributing vessels to the eye and its muscles, includes:

• Long posterior ciliary arteries
• Short posterior ciliary arteries
• Anterior ciliary artery
• Central retinal artery
• Muscular artery

Blood supply

Branches of the ophthalmic artery supply:

• Frontal belly of the occipitofrontalis muscle
• Inferior oblique muscle
• Inferior rectus muscle
• Lacrimal gland
• Lateral rectus muscle
• Levator palpebrae superioris muscle
• Medial rectus muscle
• Nasalis muscle
• Procerus
• Superior oblique muscle
• Superior rectus muscle

Occlusion

As with central retinal artery occlusions, ophthalmic artery occlusions may result from systemic cardiovascular diseases; however, a cherry red spot is typically absent and the vision is usually worse. Amaurosis fugax is a temporary loss of vision that occurs in two conditions which cause a temporary reduction in ophthalmic artery pressure: orthostatic hypotension and positive acceleration.^[1]

Additional images

Dura mater and its processes exposed by removing part of the right half of the skull, and the brain.

References

See also

• Fluorescein angiography

External links

• MedEd at Loyola Neuro/neurovasc/navigation/opht.htm
• SUNY Labs 29:03-0102

v • d • e List of arteries of head and neck CC EC sup. thyroid superior laryngeal – sternocleidomastoid branch – infrahyoid branch – cricothyroid branch – glandular branches asc. pharyngeal posterior meningeal – pharyngeal branches – inferior tympanic lingual suprahyoid – dorsal lingual – deep lingual – sublingual facial cervical branches (ascending palatine, tonsillar, submental, glandular) – facial branches (inferior labial, superior labial / nasal septum, lateral nasal, angular) occipital sternocleidomastoid – meningeal – occipital – auricular – descending post. auricular stylomastoid – stapedial – auricular – occipital sup. temporal transverse facial – middle temporal (zygomatico-orbital) – anterior auricular – frontal – parietal maxillary 1st part / mandibular: anterior tympanic – deep auricular – middle meningeal (superior tympanic, petrosal) – accessory meningeal – inferior alveolar (mental, mylohyoid) 2nd part / pterygoid: to muscles of mastication (deep temporal, pterygoid, masseteric) – buccal 3rd part / pterygopalatine: posterior superior alveolar – infraorbital (anterior superior alveolar) – descending palatine (greater palatine, lesser palatine) – artery of the pterygoid canal – sphenopalatine (posterior septal branches, posterior lateral nasal) IC cervical carotid sinus petrous Vidian – caroticotympanic cavernous/ ophthalmic orbital group: posterior ethmoidal – anterior ethmoidal (anterior septal, anterior lateral nasal, anterior meningeal) – lacrimal (lateral palpebral) – medial palpebral – terminal (supraorbital, supratrochlear, dorsal nasal) ocular group: central retinal – ciliary (short posterior, long posterior, anterior) – hypophysial (superior, inferior) cerebral/Willis ACA (anterior communicating) – MCA (anterolateral central, lenticulostriate) – posterior communicating – anterior choroidal SC vertebral artery meningeal – spinal (posterior, anterior) – cerebellar (PICA) basilar: pontine – labyrinthine – cerebellar (AICA, SCA) – cerebral (PCA) thyrocervical trunk inferior thyroid: inferior laryngeal – tracheal – esophageal – ascending cervical – pharyngeal – glandular branches transverse cervical: superficial branch – deep branch / dorsal scapular suprascapular: acromial branch costocervical trunk deep cervical

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