Arteries and veins of orbit (Lateral view) (Latin)

The main artery of this region is the a. ophthalmica (arising from the a. carotis interna), which gives off 10 branches to supply all of the structures of the orbita, in addition to some surrounding structures. The a. lacrimalis arises from the a. ophthalmica just lateral to the n. opticus and courses anteriorly to supply the glandula lacrimalis. The aa. musculares of the a. ophthalmica supply the intrinsic muscles of the bulbus oculi and give off a small branch, the a. ciliaris anterior which supplies the anterior eye. The a. supratrochlearis and a. dorsalis nasi travel through and exit the orbita to supply regions of the nose, eyelids, forehead and scalp. Other branches of the a. ophthalmica (a. centralis retinae, aa. ciliares posteriores, aa. palpebrales mediales, a. supraorbitalis and the a. ethmoidalis anterior and a. ethmoidalis posterior) can be observed from a superior view of the orbita (see next image). Aside from the a. ophthalmica, this region is also supplied by the a. maxillaris (arising from the a. carotis externa), which gives off a r. infraorbitalis to supply the floor of the orbita. Venous drainage of the orbit is mainly facilitated by the v. ophthalmica superior and v. ophthalmica inferior, v. centralis retinae, vv. vorticosae and v. infraorbitalis which drain into the sinus cavernosus of the cavitas cranii and plexus venosus pterygoideus within the fossa infratemporalis.