Anterior ciliary arteries

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Anterior ciliary arteries
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The arteries of the choroid and iris. The greater part of the sclera has been removed.
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Iris, front view.
Details
Source Ophthalmic artery
Vein Anterior ciliary veins
Supplies Conjunctiva, sclera and recti muscles
Identifiers
Latin arteriae ciliares anteriores
TA98 A12.2.06.034
TA2 4485
FMA 70782
Anatomical terminology

The anterior ciliary arteries are seven arteries in each eye-socket that arise from muscular branches of the ophthalmic artery and supply the conjunctiva, sclera, rectus muscles, and the ciliary body. The arteries end by anastomosing with branches of the long posterior ciliary arteries to form the circulus arteriosus major.

Contents

Anatomy

There are seven anterior ciliary arteries on each side of the body; [1] two anterior ciliary arteries are associated with the superior, the medial, and the inferior rectus muscles, whereas the lateral rectus muscle is associated with only a single anterior ciliary artery. [1] [2]

Origin

The anterior ciliary arteries arise from muscular branches of the ophthalmic artery [1] [2] [3] supplying the rectus muscles of the eye. [2]

Course and relations

The anterior ciliary arteries exit the muscles near the muscles' insertions, [2] passing anterior-ward alongside the rectus muscles' tendons [2] [3] before turning inward to perforate the sclera near the corneal limbus to reach the ciliary body. Upon reaching the ciliary body, [2] they end by forming the circulus arteriosus major [3] by anastomosing with branches of the long posterior ciliary arteries. [2]

Branches and distribution

The anterior ciliary arteries contribute arterial blood supply to the rectus muscles, conjunctiva, sclera, [2] [1] and the ciliary body.[ citation needed ]

The anterior ciliary arteries issue branches to the conjunctiva before piercing the sclera, forming an artieral network in the limbal conjunctiva. They also issue branches to the episclera. [2]

Anastomoses

Within the ciliary body, the anterior ciliary arteries anastomose with branches of the long posterior ciliary arteries to form the circulus arteriosus major. [2]

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The ciliary arteries are divisible into three groups, the long posterior, short posterior, and the anterior.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angular artery</span> Artery of the face

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Long posterior ciliary arteries</span>

The long posterior ciliary arteries are arteries of the orbit. There are long posterior ciliary arteries two on each side of the body. They are branches of the ophthalmic artery. They pass forward within the eye to reach the ciliary body where they ramify and anastomose with the anterior ciliary arteries, thus forming the major arterial circle of the iris.The long posterior ciliary arteries contribute arterial supply to the choroid, ciliary body, and iris.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Short posterior ciliary arteries</span>

The short posterior ciliary arteries are a number of branches of the ophthalmic artery. They pass forward with the optic nerve to reach the eyeball, piercing the sclera around the entry of the optic nerve into the eyeball.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central retinal vein</span> Vein in the retina of the eye

The central retinal vein is a vein that drains the retina of the eye. It travels backwards through the centre of the optic nerve accompanied by the central retinal artery before exiting the optic nerve together with the central retinal artery to drain into either the superior ophthalmic vein or the cavernous sinus.

Major arterial circle of the iris" is a circular artery of the eye formed by anastomoses of the anterior ciliary arteries and long posterior ciliary arteries at the ciliary body. It supplies arterial blood to the iris, ciliary processes of the ciliary body, and anterior choroid.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Gupta, Neha; Motlagh, Mahsaw; Singh, Gurdeep (2022), "Anatomy, Head and Neck, Eye Arteries", StatPearls, Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing, PMID   30725748 , retrieved 2022-12-24
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Remington, Lee Ann (2012). "11 - Orbital Blood Supply". Clinical Anatomy and Physiology of the Visual System (3rd ed.). Butterworth-Heinemann. pp. 202–217. doi:10.1016/B978-1-4377-1926-0.10011-6. ISBN   978-1-4377-1926-0.
  3. 1 2 3 Remington, Lee Ann (2012). "11 - Orbital Blood Supply". Clinical Anatomy and Physiology of the Visual System (3rd ed.). Butterworth-Heinemann. pp. 202–217. doi:10.1016/B978-1-4377-1926-0.10011-6. ISBN   978-1-4377-1926-0.