Nerves of the Eye Region
Nerve: Anterior ethmoidal
Origin: Nasociliary nerve
Course: Arises in orbit, passes via anterior ethmoidal foramen to cranial cavity then cribriform plate of ethmoid to nasal cavity
Innervation: Dura of anterior cranial fossa; mucous membranes of sphenoidal sinus, ethmoid cells and upper nasal cavity
Nerve: Ciliary
Origin: Nasociliary nerve; ciliary ganglion
Course: Passes to posterior aspect of eyeball
Innervation: Cornea, conjunctiva; ciliary body and iris
Nerve: Frontal
Origin: Ophthalmic nerve
Course: Crosses orbit on superior aspect of levator palpebrae superioris; divides into supraorbital and supratrochlear branches
Innervation: Skin of forehead scalp, upper eyelid, and nose; conjunctiva of upper lid and mucosa of frontal sinus
Nerve: Infratrochlear
Origin: Nasociliary nerve
Course: Follows medial wall of orbit to upper eyelid
Innervation: Skin, conjunctiva of upper eyelid
Nerve: Lacrimal
Origin: Ophthalmic nerve
Course: Palpebral fascia of upper eyelid near lateral angle of eye
Innervation: Small area of skin and conjunctiva of lateral part of upper eyelid
Nerve: Nasociliary
Origin: Ophthalmic nerve
Course: Arises in superior orbital fissure, anteromedially across retrobulbar orbit, providing sensory root to ciliary ganglion, terminates as infratrochlear nerve and nasal branches
Innervation: Branches of ciliary ganglion convey postsynaptic sympathetic and parasympathetic to ciliary body and iris; tactile sensation from eyeball; mucous membrane of ethmoid cells, anterosuperior nasal cavity; skin of root dorsum and apex of nose
Nerve: Oculomotor
Origin: Interpeduncular fossa of mesencephalon
Course: Dura lateral to posterior clinoid process, lateral wall of cavernous sinus, enters orbit through superior orbital fissure and divides into superior and inferior branches
Innervation: All extraocular muscles except superior oblique and lateral rectus; presynaptic parasympathetic fibers to ciliary ganglion for ciliary body and sphincter pupillae
Nerve: Ophthalmic
Origin: Trigeminal ganglion
Course: Anteriorly in lateral wall of cavernous sinus to enter orbit through superior orbital fissure, branching into frontal, nasociliary, and lacrimal nerve
Innervation: General sensation from eyeball; mucous membrane of ethmoid cells, frontal sinus, dura of anterior cranial fossa, falx cerebri, and tentorium cerebelli, anterosuperior nasal cavity; skin of 1 forehead, upper lid root, dorsum and apex of nose
Nerve: Optic
Origin: Ganglion cells of retina
Course: Exits orbit via optic canals; fibers from nasal half of retina, crosses to contralateral side at chiasm; passes via optic tracts to geniculate bodies, superior colliculus, and pretectum
Innervation: Vision from retina
Nerve: Posterior ethmoidal
Origin: Nasociliary
Course: Leaves orbit via posterior ethmoidal foramen
Innervation: Supplies ethmoidal and sphenoidal paranasal sinuses
Origin: Nasociliary nerve
Course: Arises in orbit, passes via anterior ethmoidal foramen to cranial cavity then cribriform plate of ethmoid to nasal cavity
Innervation: Dura of anterior cranial fossa; mucous membranes of sphenoidal sinus, ethmoid cells and upper nasal cavity
Nerve: Ciliary
Origin: Nasociliary nerve; ciliary ganglion
Course: Passes to posterior aspect of eyeball
Innervation: Cornea, conjunctiva; ciliary body and iris
Nerve: Frontal
Origin: Ophthalmic nerve
Course: Crosses orbit on superior aspect of levator palpebrae superioris; divides into supraorbital and supratrochlear branches
Innervation: Skin of forehead scalp, upper eyelid, and nose; conjunctiva of upper lid and mucosa of frontal sinus
Nerve: Infratrochlear
Origin: Nasociliary nerve
Course: Follows medial wall of orbit to upper eyelid
Innervation: Skin, conjunctiva of upper eyelid
Nerve: Lacrimal
Origin: Ophthalmic nerve
Course: Palpebral fascia of upper eyelid near lateral angle of eye
Innervation: Small area of skin and conjunctiva of lateral part of upper eyelid
Nerve: Nasociliary
Origin: Ophthalmic nerve
Course: Arises in superior orbital fissure, anteromedially across retrobulbar orbit, providing sensory root to ciliary ganglion, terminates as infratrochlear nerve and nasal branches
Innervation: Branches of ciliary ganglion convey postsynaptic sympathetic and parasympathetic to ciliary body and iris; tactile sensation from eyeball; mucous membrane of ethmoid cells, anterosuperior nasal cavity; skin of root dorsum and apex of nose
Nerve: Oculomotor
Origin: Interpeduncular fossa of mesencephalon
Course: Dura lateral to posterior clinoid process, lateral wall of cavernous sinus, enters orbit through superior orbital fissure and divides into superior and inferior branches
Innervation: All extraocular muscles except superior oblique and lateral rectus; presynaptic parasympathetic fibers to ciliary ganglion for ciliary body and sphincter pupillae
Nerve: Ophthalmic
Origin: Trigeminal ganglion
Course: Anteriorly in lateral wall of cavernous sinus to enter orbit through superior orbital fissure, branching into frontal, nasociliary, and lacrimal nerve
Innervation: General sensation from eyeball; mucous membrane of ethmoid cells, frontal sinus, dura of anterior cranial fossa, falx cerebri, and tentorium cerebelli, anterosuperior nasal cavity; skin of 1 forehead, upper lid root, dorsum and apex of nose
Nerve: Optic
Origin: Ganglion cells of retina
Course: Exits orbit via optic canals; fibers from nasal half of retina, crosses to contralateral side at chiasm; passes via optic tracts to geniculate bodies, superior colliculus, and pretectum
Innervation: Vision from retina
Nerve: Posterior ethmoidal
Origin: Nasociliary
Course: Leaves orbit via posterior ethmoidal foramen
Innervation: Supplies ethmoidal and sphenoidal paranasal sinuses