Nerve: Lacrimal nerve
Dissection showing origins of right ocular muscles, and nerves entering by the superior orbital fissure.
Nerves of the orbit, and the ciliary ganglion. Side view.
Latin	nervus lacrimalis
Gray's	subject #200 887
Innervates	lacrimal gland
From	ophthalmic nerve

The lacrimal nerve is the smallest of the three branches of the ophthalmic.

It sometimes receives a filament from the trochlear nerve, but this is possibly derived from the branch which goes from the ophthalmic to the trochlear nerve.

It passes forward in a separate tube of dura mater, and enters the orbit through the narrowest part of the superior orbital fissure.

In the orbit it runs along the upper border of the lateral rectus, with the lacrimal artery, and communicates with the zygomatic branch of the maxillary nerve.

It enters the lacrimal gland and gives off several filaments, which supply the gland and the conjunctiva.

Finally it pierces the orbital septum, and ends in the skin of the upper eyelid, joining with filaments of the facial nerve.

The lacrimal nerve is occasionally absent, and its place is then taken by the zygomaticotemporal branch of the maxillary nerve. Sometimes the latter branch is absent, and a continuation of the lacrimal nerve is substituted for it.

[edit] Functions

It provides innervations for the lacrimal gland, conjunctiva, and the lateral upper eyelids.

The zygomatic nerve carries sensory fibers from the skin and mucous membranes. It also carries post-synaptic parasympathetic fibers (originating in the pterygopalatine ganglion) to the lacrimal nerve via a communication. These fibers will eventually provide innervation to the lacrimal gland.

[edit] Additional images

Nerves of the orbit. Seen from above.

Distribution of the maxillary and mandibular nerves, and the submaxillary ganglion.

Sensory areas of the head, showing the general distribution of the three divisions of the fifth nerve.

The tarsi and their ligaments. Right eye; front view.

[edit] External links

• SUNY Labs 29:16-0102 - "Orbits and Eye: The Lacrimal Gland"
• Atlas of anatomy at UMich n2a4p2 - "Branches of Trigeminal Nerve, Lateral View"
• MedEd at Loyola GrossAnatomy/h_n/cn/cn1/cnb1.htm
• cranialnerves at The Anatomy Lesson by Wesley Norman (Georgetown University) (VII)

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained within it may be outdated.

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v • d • e The cranial nerves: trigeminal nerve ophthalmic (V1) frontal: supratrochlear · supraorbital (lateral branch, medial branch) nasociliary: long ciliary · infratrochlear · posterior ethmoidal · anterior ethmoidal (external nasal, internal nasal) · sensory root of ciliary ganglion (ciliary ganglion) lacrimal maxillary (V2) in meninges middle meningeal in pterygopalatine fossa zygomatic (zygomaticotemporal, zygomaticofacial) · pterygopalatine (pterygopalatine ganglion see below for details) · posterior superior alveolar in infraorbital canal infraorbital nerve: superior alveolar (middle, anterior) · internal nasal branches on face inferior palpebral · external nasal · superior labial (infraorbital plexus) mandibular (V3) in meninges meningeal anterior to muscles of mastication (medial pterygoid/to tensor veli palatini, lateral pterygoid, masseteric, deep temporal) · buccal posterior auriculotemporal (otic ganglion) · lingual (submandibular ganglion) · inferior alveolar (mylohyoid, mental)