The supraorbital artery is a branch of the

ophthalmic artery The ophthalmic artery (OA) is an artery of the head. It is the first branch of the internal carotid artery distal to the cavernous sinus. Branches of the ophthalmic artery supply all the structures in the orbit around the eye, as well as some ...

. It passes anteriorly within the orbit to exit the orbit through the supraorbital foramen or notch alongside the

supraorbital nerve The supraorbital nerve is one of two terminal branches - the other being the supratrochlear nerve - of the frontal nerve (itself a branch of the ophthalmic nerve (CN V1)). It exits the orbit via the supraorbital foramen/notch before splitting ...

, splitting into two terminal branches which go on to form anastomoses with arteries of the head.

Structure

Origin

The supraorbital artery arises from the ophthalmic artery.

Course and relations

It travels anteriorly in the orbit by passing superior to the eye and medial to the

superior rectus The superior rectus muscle is a muscle in the orbit (anatomy), orbit. It is one of the extraocular muscles. It is innervation, innervated by the superior division of the oculomotor nerve (III). In the primary position (looking straight ahead), its ...

and levator palpebrae superioris. It then joins the supraorbital nerve to jointly pass between the periosteum of the roof of the orbit and the levator palpebrae superioris towards the supraorbital foramen or notch. After passing through the supraorbital foramen or notch, it often splits into a superficial branch and a deep branch.

Distribution

The supraorbital artery contributes arterial supply to: the

superior rectus muscle The superior rectus muscle is a muscle in the orbit. It is one of the extraocular muscles. It is innervated by the superior division of the oculomotor nerve (III). In the primary position (looking straight ahead), its primary function is elevatio ...

superior oblique muscle The superior oblique muscle or obliquus oculi superior is a fusiform muscle originating in the upper, medial side of the orbit (anatomy), orbit (i.e. from beside the nose) which abducts, depresses and internally rotates the eye. It is the only e ...

, levator palpebrae muscles, periorbita, the

diploë Diploë ( or ) is the spongy cancellous bone separating the inner and outer layers of the cortical bone of the skull. It is a subclass of trabecular bone. In the cranial bones, the layers of compact cortical tissue are familiarly known as the ...

of the

frontal bone In the human skull, the frontal bone or sincipital bone is an unpaired bone which consists of two portions.'' Gray's Anatomy'' (1918) These are the vertically oriented squamous part, and the horizontally oriented orbital part, making up the bo ...

, frontal sinus, upper

eyelid An eyelid ( ) is a thin fold of skin that covers and protects an eye. The levator palpebrae superioris muscle retracts the eyelid, exposing the cornea to the outside, giving vision. This can be either voluntarily or involuntarily. "Palpebral ...

, and the skin and musculature of the

forehead In human anatomy, the forehead is an area of the head bounded by three features, two of the skull and one of the scalp. The top of the forehead is marked by the hairline, the edge of the area where hair on the scalp grows. The bottom of the fo ...

and

scalp The scalp is the area of the head where head hair grows. It is made up of skin, layers of connective and fibrous tissues, and the membrane of the skull. Anatomically, the scalp is part of the epicranium, a collection of structures covering th ...

Anastomoses

Its terminal branches anastomose with the supratrochlear artery, frontal branch of

superficial temporal artery In human anatomy, the superficial temporal artery is a major artery of the head. It arises from the external carotid artery when it splits into the superficial temporal artery and maxillary artery. Its pulse can be felt above the zygomatic ar ...

, and the contralateral supraorbital artery.

Variation

This artery may be absent in 10% to 20% of individuals.Dutton JJ: Osteology of the orbit. In ''Atlas of clinical and surgical orbital anatomy,'' Philadelphia, 1994, WB Saunders

Additional images

File:Gray508.png, The arteries of the face and scalp. File:Gray515.png, Bloodvessels of the eyelids, front view. File:Slide3h.JPG, supraorbital artery

References

{{Authority control Arteries of the head and neck