 Eyeballs

 Muscles
 Nerves
 Blood vessels
 Fat
 Lacrimal apparatus

❖ orbital opening guarded by thin movable

folds → eyelids
 In front of the eye → protection from injury
and excessive light
 Upper eyelid larger, more mobile than lower
eyelid
 Meet at the medial and lateral angles
 Palpebral fissure elliptical opening between
eyelids
❑ Superficially, covered by skin
Deep surface covered by a mucous membrane →
conjunctiva
❑ The eyelashes (short curved hairs) are present on the free edges of
the eyelids
❑ Sebaceous glands (Glands of Zeis) open directly into the eyelash
follicles
❑ The ciliary glands (glands of Moll) are modified sweat glands
that open between the lashes
❑ The tarsal glands are long, modified sebaceous glands that pour
oily secretion onto the margin of the lid, prevents overflow of
tears and makes the closed eyelids airtight.
 The medial angle is separated from the
eyeball by a space → lacus lacrimalis
 In the center is a small, reddish yellow
elevation → caruncula lacrimalis
 Lateral to the caruncle is a reddish semilunar
fold → plica semilunaris
 A small elevation, where the eyelashes and
the tarsal glands abruptly stop, is called
papilla lacrimalis
 On the summit of the
papilla is a small hole →
punctum lacrimale →
canaliculus lacrimalis
 The eyelids are closed when the orbicularis
oculi contract and the levator palpebrae
superioris relax.
 The eye is opened by the levator palpebrae
superioris raising the upper eyelid.
LACRIMAL GLAND & LACRIMAL DUCTS
- Orbital part (larger)
- Palpebral part (smaller)
- Found above the eyeball
- 12 ducts open from the lower surface of the
gland
- Nerve supply: parasympathetic secretomotor
fibers from lacrimal nucleus of the facial nerve
- All fibers (para and sympa) reach the lacrimal
gland through the lacrimal nerve.
 pyramid-shaped cavity with its base in front
and apex behind
 orbital margin – frontal bone and notched for
passage of supraorbital nerve and vessels
 lateral margin – processes of the frontal and
zygomatic bones
 inferior margin – zygomatic bone and maxilla
 medial margin – process of maxilla and
frontal bone
Yellow
•Frontal bone

Green
•Lacrimal bone

Brown
•Ethmoid bone

Blue
•Zygomatic bone

Purple
•Maxilla

Red
•Sphenoid bone
 roof – orbital plate of the frontal bone , w/c
separates orbital cavity from ant. cranial
fossa and frontal lobe of cerebral hemisphere
 lateral wall – zygomatic bone and greater
wing of sphenoid
 floor – orbital plate of maxilla, w/c separates
orbital cavity from maxillary sinus
 medial wall – frontal process of maxilla,
lacrimal bone, orbital plate of sphenoid, and
body of sphenoid
Orbital opening
 lies anteriorly
 1/6 of eye is exposed
 Remainder is protected by walls of the orbit

Supraorbital Notch
 Situated on the superior orbital margin
 Transmits supraorbital nerve and blood
vessels
Infraorbital Groove and Canal
 Situated on the floor of the orbit in the orbital
plate of maxilla
 Transmits infraorbital nerve (cont. of maxillary
nerve) and blood vessels
Nasolacrimal Canal
 Located anteriorly on the medial wall
 Communicates with the inferior meatus of the
nose
 Transmits the nasolacrimal duct
Inferior Orbital Fissure
 Located posteriorly between maxilla and greater wing of
sphenoid
 Communicates with pterygopalatine fossa
 Transmits maxillary nerve and its zygomatic branch, inferior
ophthalmic vein and sympathetic nerves
Superior Orbital Fissure
 Located posteriorly between greater and lesser wing of
sphenoid
 Communicates with the middle cranial fossa
 Transmits lacrimal nerve, frontal nerve, trochlear nerve,
oculomotor nerve, abucent nerve, nasociliary nerve and
superior ophthalmic vein
Optic Canal
 Located posteriorly in the lesser wing of
sphenoid
 Communicates with the middle cranial fossa
 Transmits optic nerve and ophthalmic artery

Zygomaticotemporal and Zygomaticofacial

Foramina
 Small openings in the lateral wall
 Transmits the zygomaticotemporal and
zygomaticofacial nerves
Anterior and Posterior Ethmoidal Foramina
 Located on the medial wall in the ethmoid
bone
 Transmits the anterior and posterior
ethmoidal nerves
 Periosteum of the bones that form the walls
of the orbit
 Loosely attachedto the bones and continous
through the foramina and fissures with the
periosteum covering the outer surface of
bones
 Superior orbital fissure, optic canal, and
anterior ethmoidal canal- it becomes
continous with the endosteal layer of the
dura mater
 Thin layer of smooth muscle that bridges the
inferior orbital fissure
 Supplied by sympathetic nerves
 Unknown function
 Levator palpebrae superioris

 The recti

 Superior oblique

 Inferior oblique
Origin: undersurface of lesser wing of the
sphenoid, above and infront of the optic canal
Insertion: a flat muscle that widens as it passes
forward. It ends anteriorly in a wide aponeurosis,
which splits into two lamellae.
 Superior lamella is inserted into the anterior
surface of the superior tarsal plate and into the
skin of the upper eyelid
 Inferior lamella contains smooth muscle fibers,
which are attached to the upper margin of the
superior tarsal plate
Nerve supply: superior ramus of oculomotor
nerve. The smooth muscle fibers are
innervated by sympathetic nerves from the
superior cervical sympathetic ganglion
Action: raises the upper lid. Stimulation of the
sympathetic innervations results to further
elevation of the lid.
Origin: common tendinous ring – a thickening of the periosteum. It
surrounds the optic canal and bridges the superior orbital fissure.
 Superior rectus arises from the upper part of the ring
 Inferior rectus arises from the lower part of the ring
 Medial rectus arises from the medial part of the ring
 Lateral rectus arises by two heads from the lateral part of the ring
Insertion: as each rectus muscle passes forward, it widens and
diverges from its neighbor. Together, they form a muscular cone
that encloses the optic nerve and posterior part of the eyeball. The
tendon of each muscle pierces the facial sheath of the eyeball and is
inserted into the sclera about 6 mm behind the margin of the
cornea.
Nerve Supply:
 Oculomotor Nerve - Superior, Inferior and Medial Recti
 Abducent Nerve – Lateral Rectus

Action:
 Lateral Rectus – rotates eyeball so cornea looks laterally
 Medial Rectus – rotates eyeball so that cornea looks medially
 Because superior and inferior recti are inserted on the medial side of
the vertical axis of the eyeball, they do not only raise and depress
the cornea but also rotates it medially.
 For the superior rectus muscle to raise the cornea directly upward,
the inferior oblique must assist
 For the inferior rectus to depress the cornea directly downward, the
superior oblique must assist
Origin: body of the sphenoid, above and medial to
the optic canal
Insertion: its rounded belly passes forward and
gives way to a slender tendon, which passes
through a fibrocartilaginous pulley attached to
the frontal bone. The tendon now turns
backward and laterally, pierces the fascial
sheath of the eyeball, and is inserted into the
sclera beneath the superior rectus. It is
attached to the sclera behind the coronal
equator of the eyeball, and the line of pull of the
tendon passes medial to the vertical axis
Nerve Supply: Trochlear Nerve

Action: rotates the eyeball so the cornea looks

downward and laterally
 Origin: Anterior part of the floor of the orbit
 Insertion: the narrow muscle passes
backward and laterally below the inferior
rectus. It is inserted into the sclera behind
the coronal equator, and the line of pull of the
tendon passes medial to the vertical axis.
 Nerve Supply: Inferior ramus of the
oculomotor nerve
 Actions: rotates the eyeball so the cornea
looks upward and laterally
 A thin membrane that surrounds the eyeball
from the optic nerve to the corneoscleral
junction
 It separates the eyeball from the orbital fat
and provides it with a socket for free
movement
 It is perforated by the tendons of the orbital
muscles and is reflected onto each of them as
a tubular sheath
 The sheaths for the tendons of the medial
and lateral recti are attached to the medial
and lateral walls of the orbit by triangular
ligaments called the medial and lateral check
ligaments.
 The lower part of the fascial sheath, which
passes beneath the eyeball and connects the
check ligaments, is thickened and serves to
suspend the eye; it is called the suspensory
ligament of the eye.
 Enters the orbit from the middle cranial fossa by passing
through the optic canal
 Accompanied by the ophthalmic artery
 It is surrounded by sheaths of pia mater, arachnoid mater and
dura mater
 Runs forward and laterally within the cone of the recti muscles
and pierces the sclera at a point medial to the posterior pole
of the eyeball
 Here, the meninges fuse with the sclera, so the arachnoid
space with its contained cerebrospinal fluid extends forward
from the middle cranial fossa; around the optic nerve, and
through the optic canal as far as the eyeball
 A rise in pressure of the cerebrospinal fluid within the cranial
cavity therefore is transmitted to the back of the eyeball
 Arises from the ophthalmic division of the
trigeminal nerve
 A slender nerve that enters the orbit through the
upper part of the superior orbital fissure
 Passes forward along the upper border of the
lateral rectus muscle
 Joined by a branch of the zygomaticotemporal
nerve, which later leaves it to enter the lacrimal
gland
 Lacrimal nerve ends by supplying the skin of the
lateral part of the upper eyelid
 Arises from the ophthalmic division of the
trigeminal nerve
 Enters the orbit through the upper part of the
superior orbital fissure
 Passes forward o the superior surface of the
levator palpebrae superioris between that
muscle and the roof of the orbit
 Divides into the supratrochlear and
supraorbital nerve
Supratrochlear nerve
passes above the pulley for the superior oblique
muscle and winds around the upper margin of the
orbital cavity
supplies the skin of the forehead

Supraorbital nerve
passes through the supraorbital notch and
supplies the skin of the forehead lateral to the
area supplied by the supratrochlear nerve
also supplies the mucous membrane of the
frontal sinus
 leaves the lateral wall of the cavernous sinus
and enters the orbit through the upper part of
the superior orbital fissure
 runs forward and medially across the origin of
the levator palpebrae superioris and enters
the superior oblique muscle
 Superior Ramus
▪ Leaves the lateral wall of the cavernous sinus and enters orbit
through the lower part of the superior orbital fissure within
tendinous ring.
▪ Supplies the superior rectus muscle muscle, then pierces it, and
supplies the overlying levator palpebrae superioris muscle
 Inferior Ramus
▪ Enters orbit in a similar manner and gives off branches to the
inferior rectus, medial rectus, and inferior oblique muscle.
▪ Nerve to inferior oblique gives off a branch that passes to the
ciliary ganglion and carries parasympathetic fibers to the
sphincter papillae and ciliary muscle.
 Arises from ophthalmic division of trigeminal nerve
at lateral wall of cavernous sinus and enters orbit
through lower part of superior orbital fissure, w/in
the tendinous ring
 Crosses above the optic nerve w/ ophthalmic artery,
to reach the medial wall of the orbital cavity.
 It then runs forward along the upper margin of the
medial rectus muscle and ends by dividing into the
anterior ethmoidal and infratrochlear nerves
 1. Communicating branch to the ciliary ganglion (sensory)
▪ Sensory fibers from the eyeball pass to the ciliary ganglion via the
short ciliary nerves
▪ Pass through the ganglion without interruption and then join the
nasociliary nerve by means of communicating branch.

 2. The long ciliary nerves

▪ 2 or 3 in number, arise from the nasociliary nerve as it crosses the
optic nerve.
▪ Contain sympathetic fibers for the dilator pupillae muscle.
▪ Pass forward w/ the short ciliary nerves and pierce the sclera of
eyeball to close optic nerve. They continue forward between the
sclera and the choroid to reach the iris
 3. Posterior ethmoidal nerve
▪ Passes through the posterior ethmoidal foramen
▪ Supply the ethmoidal and sphenoidal air sinus

 4. Infratrochlear nerve
▪ Passes forward below the pulley of the superior oblique muscle
▪ Supplies the skin of the medial part of the upper eyelid and adjacent part of the
nose

 5. Anterior ethmoidal nerve

▪ Passes through anterior ethmoidal foramen and enters the anterior cranial
fossa on the upper surface of cribriform plate of the ethmoid
▪ Crosses cribriform plate and enters nasal cavity through a slit-like opening
alongside crista galli
▪ After supplying an area of mucous membrane, it
appears on the face as the external nasal branch
at the lower border of the nasal bone
▪ Supplies the skin of the nose down as far as the
tip.
Abducent nerve
▪ Leaves the cavernous sinus and enters orbit through the
lower part of superior orbital fissure, w/in tendinous ring
▪ Runs forward and supplies the lateral rectus mucle.
 About the size of a pinhead
 Parasympathetic ganglion situated on the posterior part of
the orbit on the lateral side of the optic nerve.
 Receives its preganglionic parasympathetic fibers from the
oculomotor nerve via the nerve to the inferior oblique
 Postganglionic fibers leave the ganglion in the short ciliary
nerves w/c pass forward to the back of the eyeball
 Supply sphincter pupillae and ciliary muscle
 A number of sympathetic fibers pass from the internal
carotid plexus into the orbit and run through the ganglion
without interruption.
Ophthalmic Artery
 Branch of the internal carotid artery after it emerges
from the cavernous sinus
 Passes forward through the optic canal with the
optic nerve
 gives off numerous branches some accompanying
the nerves in the orbital cavity
1. Central artery of the retina
 Small branch that pierces the meningeal sheaths of
the optic nerve to gain entrance to the nerve.
 Runs in the substance of the optic nerve and enters
eyeball at the center of the optic disc.
 Divides into branches w/c are end arteries.

2. Muscular branches
3. Ciliary arteries
 May be divided into anterior and posterior groups
 Anterior group enters eyeball near the corneoscleral
junction and posterior group enters near the optic
nerve

4. Lacrimal artery to the lacrimal gland

5. Supratrochlear and Supraorbital arteries

 Distributed to the skin of the forehead.
Ophthalmic Veins
 The superior ophthalmic vein communicates in front w/
facial vein
 Inferior ophthalmic vein communicates through the inferior
orbital fissure with the pterygoid venous plexus.
 Both veins pass backward through the superior orbital
fissure and drain into the cavernous sinus.

Lymph Vessels
 There are no lymph vessels or nodes in the orbital cavity
THE EYE

 The eyeball is embedded in orbital fat, but is separated from it by the

fascial sheath of the eyeball.
 Consists of three coats which from without inward, are the:
1. Fibrous coat
2. Vascular pigmented coat
3. Nervous coat
COATS OF THE EYEBALL
Fibrous Coat
 Made up of a posterior opaque part, the sclera, and an anterior
transparent part, the cornea.
 Sclera is composed of dense fibrous tissue and is white in color.
Posteriorly, it is pierced by the optic nerve and is fused with the dural
sheath of that nerve
 The lamina cribrosa is the area of the sclera that is pierced by the nerve
fibers of the optic nerve. It is a relatively weak area and can be made to
bulge into the eyeball by a rise of CSF pressure in the tubular extension of
subarachnoid space w/c surrounds the optic nerve
The Eye
 The sclera is also pierced by ciliary arteries and nerves and their
associated veins, the venae vorticosae.
 Sclera is directly continuous in front with the cornea at the
conrneoscleral junction or limbus.
 The transparent cornea is largely responsible for the refraction of light
entering the eye. It is in contact posteriorly with aqueous humor

Vascular pigmented coat

 Consists from behind forward of the choroid, the ciliary body, and iris
 Choroid is composed of an outer pigmented layer and an inner, highly
vascular layer
 Ciliary body is continuous posteriorly w/ the choroid and anteriorly it lies
behind the peripheral margin of the iris. It is composed of the ciliary ring,
ciliary process, and ciliary muscle.
 Ciliary ring is the posterior part of the body. It has shallow grooves called
ciliary striae
 Ciliary processes are radially arranged folds or ridges to the posterior
surfaces of w/c are connected the suspensory ligaments of the lens
 Ciliary muscle is composed of meridianal and circular fibers of smooth
muscle. The meridianal fibers run backward from the region of the
corneoscleral junction to the ciliary processes. Circular fibers are fewer in
number and lie internal to the meridianal fibers.
Nerve supply of the Ciliary Muscle
 Parasympathetic fibers from oculomotor nerve
 After synapsing in ciliary ganglion, postganglionic fibers pass forward to
the eyeball in the short ciliary nerves.

Action
 Contraction of ciliary muscle pulls ciliary body forward
 This relieves the tension in the suspensory ligament, and the elastic lens
becomes more convex to increase refractive power of lens.
The Iris and Pupil

 The iris is a thin contractile, pigmented diaphragm w/ a central aperture,

the pupil
 It is suspended in the aqueous humor between the cornea and the lens.
The periphery of the iris is attached to the anterior surface of the ciliary
body. It divides the space between the lens and the cornea into an
anterior and posterior chamber
 Muscles fibers of iris are involuntary and consist of circular and radial
fibers
 Circular fibers – around margin of pupil, forms sphincter pupillae
 Radial fibers – thin sheet close to posterior surface, form dilator pupillae
Action of the iris and pupil
 The sphincter pupillae constricts the pupil in the presence of bright light
and during accomodation

 The dilator papillae dilates the pupil in the presence of light of low
intensity or in the presence of excessive sympathetic activity such as
occurs in fright.
Nerve supply of the iris and pupil

 Sphincter Papillae
- supplied by parasympathetic fibers from oculomotor nerve. After
synapsing in the ciliary ganglion, the postganglionic fibers pass forward
to the eyeball in the short ciliary nerves

 Dilator Papillae
▪ Supplied by sympathetic fibers w/c pass forward to the eyeball in the
long ciliary nerves
Nervous Coat: The Retina
 Retina consists of an outer pigmented layer and an inner nervous layer
 Outer surface: in contact w/ choroid
 Inner surface: in contact w/ vitreous body

 Posterior ¾ of the retina is the receptive organ

 Anterior edge forms a wavy ring, the ora serrata.
 Anterior part is nonreceptive and consists of pigmented cells, w/ a deeper
layer of columnar epithelium. This part covers the ciliary process and the
back of iris
 At the center of the posterior part of the retina is an oval, yellowish area,
the macula lutea, w/c is the area of the retina for the most distinct vision.
It has a central depression called fovea centralis
 Optic nerve leaves the retina about 3mm to the medial side of macula
lutea by the optic disc.
 Optic disc is slightly depressed at center and pierced by the central artery
of the retina.
 At the optic disc is a complete absence of rods and cones so that it is
insensitive to light and is referred to as the “blind spot”
 Optic disc is pink pale and paler than the surrounding retina
CONTENTS OF THE EYEBALL
 Consist of refractive media, aqueous humor, vitreous body and lens

Aqueous Humor
 Clear fluid that fills the anterior and posterior chambers of eyeball
 Secretion from the ciliary processes, from w/c it enters the posterior
chamber
 Flows into the anterior chamber through pupil and is drained away
through the spaces at the iridocorneal angle into the canal of Schlemm
 Obstruction to draining results in a rise in intraocular pressure called
glaucoma
 This produces degenerative changes in the retina w/ consequent
blindness
 Function of aqueous humor is to support the wall of the eyeball by
exerting internal pressure thus maintaining its optical shape
 It also nourishes cornea and lens and removes the products of
metabolism.

Vitreous body
 Transparent gel that fills the eyeball behind the lens
 Hyaloid canal is a narrow channel that runs through the vitreous body
from the optic disc to the posterior surface of lens; in fetus it is filled by
hyaloid artery w/c disappears before birth
 Functions to contribute to the magnifying power of the eye
 Supports the posterior surface of lens and assists in holding the neural
part of retina against pigmented part
Lens
 Transparent, biconvex structure enclosed in a transparent capsule.
 Situated behind the iris and in front of the vitreous body and is encircled
by ciliary process

 Consist of:
capsule- envelopes the structure
cuboidal epithelium- confined to the anterior surface of lens
lens fibers- formed from the cuboidal epithelium at the equator of
lens. They make up bulk of lens
 Elastic lens capsule is under tension causing the lens to constantly
endeavor to assume a globular rather than a disc shape.
 Equatorial region or circumference is attached to ciliary process of ciliary
body by suspensory ligament

 The pull of radiating fibers of suspensory ligament tends to keep the elastic
lens flattened so that the eye can be focused on distant objects
 To accommodate eye for close objects, ciliary muscle contracts and pulls
the ciliary body forward and inward so that radiating fibers of suspensory
ligament are relaxed. This allows the elastic lens to assume a more globular
shape
 With advancing age, lens becomes denser and less elastic and as a result
the ability to accommodate is lessened (presbyopia).
 This disability can be overcome by the use of an additional lens in the
form of glasses to assist the eye in focusing on nearby objects.
END