Head 3 – Eyelids, Lacrimal, Orbit & Contents

Eyelids and lacrimal apparatus

Eyelids: two thin moveable folds that guards the opening of the orbital region
 Protects the eye from injury and excessive light
 Upper eyelid is larger and more mobile
 Palpebral commissures (medial and lateral palpebral commissure)
o Junctions of the superior and inferior eyelids
o Defines the medial and lateral angles of the eye
 Layers:
o Skin
o Connective tissue
o Orbicularis oculi: fibers are embedded in the connective tissue, deep to the skin; closes the eyelid
o Tarsus (Superior and inferior): forms the skeleton of the eyelids
 Müller’s muscle: smooth superior tarsal muscle
 Tarsal glands (meibomian): produces lipid secretions that lubricates the edges of the
eyelids and prevents them from sticking together
 Lipid secretion forms a barrier that lacrimal fluid does not cross when produced
in normal amounts
 Medial palpebral commissure
 Medial palpebral ligament
 Lateral palpebral commissure
 Lateral palpebral ligament
 Palpebral conjunctiva: thin mucous membrane that lines the eyelids and is reflected into
the eyeballs
 Lashes (cilia): short, curved hairs on the free edges of the eyelids; arranged in double or
triple rows in the mucocutaneus junction
 Glands of Zeis (sebaceous): open directly into the follicles
 Glands of Moll (ciliary/modified sweat): open separately between adjacent
lashes
 Palpebral fissure: elliptical opening between the lids and is the entrance to the conjunctival sac
 Lacus lacrimalis: small space separating the medial angle and the eyeball
 Caruncula lacrimalis: center (of medial angle) is a small, reddish yellow elevation
 Plica semilunaris: reddish semilunar fold on the lateral side of the caruncula
 Papilla lacrimalis: at the medial angle is a small elevation; projects to the lacus
o Lacrimal punctum: small hole at the summit of the papilla
 Drains the lacrimal fluid from the lacrimal lake to the lacrimal sac
o Lacrimal canaliculi: commences from the punctum and drains lacrimal fluid from the lacrimal lake
to the lacrimal sac
Lacrimal apparatus
 Lacrimal gland: large orbital part and small palpebral part continuous around the lateral edge of the levator
palpebrae superioris aponeurosis
o Location: Above the eyeball in the anterior and upper part of the orbit posterior to the orbital
septum
o Function: secretes lacrimal fluid
 Watery physiological saline containing bacteriocidal enzyme lysozyme
 Moistens and lubricates conjunctiva and cornea
 Provides nutrients and dissolved oxygen to the cornea
 Constitutes tears
o Nerve supply:
Parasympathetic secremoto: lacrimal nucleus of the facial nerve  Sympathetic postganglionic nerve supply is from the
 Preganglionic fibers reach the pterygopalatine ganglion via internal carotid plexus
nervus intermedius (and its great petrosal branch) an via  Traveling in the deep petrosal nerve > the nerve of the
nerve of the pterygoid canal pterygoid canal > maxillary nerve > zygomatic nerve >
 Postganglionic fibers join the maxillary nerve zygomaticotemporal nerve > lacrimal nerve
 Pass into the zygomatic branch and zygomaticotemporal
nerve
 Reach the lacrimal gland via lacrimal nerve
 Excretory ducts of lacrimal glands: convey lacrimal fluid to the conjunctival sac
 Opens into the lateral part of the superior fornix of the conjunctiva by 12 ducts
 Conjunctival fonices (superior and inferior)
o Lines of reflection of the palpebral conjunctiva onto the eyeball form
deep recesses