Head And Neck Week 6 Flashcards
What is the orbit?
A pyramidal shaped bony cavity within the facial skeleton which contains (and protects) the eyeball, its muscles, nerves, vessels and most of the lacrimal apparatus
What is the orbital region?
The area of the face overlying the orbit and eyeball. Includes the upper and lower eyelids and lacrimal apparatus
Describe the orbits
Bilateral bony cavities in the facial skeleton that resemble hollow, quadrangular pyramids with their bases directed anterolaterally and their apices posteromedially medial walls separated by the ethmoidal sinuses and upper parts of nasal cavity - nearly parallel lateral walls are approximately at a right angle Orbital axes - 45 degrees optical axes - parallel - run directly anteriorly in primary position
What are the accessory visual structures contained and protected within the orbital region?
eyelids - bound the orbits anteriorly - controlling exposure of anterior eyeball extra-ocular muscles - position the eyeballs and raise the superior eyelids nerves and vessels - in transit to eyeballs and muscles orbital fascia - surrounding eyeballs and muscles mucous membrane (conjunctiva) - lining the eyelids and anterior aspect of the eyeballs and most of the lacrimal apparatus which lubricates it
What is in the space not occupied by the eyeballs or accessory visual structures?
Orbital fat - forms a matrix in which the structures of the orbit are embedded
Describe the walls of the orbit
Base - outlined by orbital margin - surrounds the orbital opening - bone reinforced to afford protection to the orbital contents and provides attachment for the orbital septum - fibrous membrane that extends into the eyelids Superior wall - approximately horizontal - formed mainly by the orbital part of the frontal bone, near the apex formed by lesser wing of sphenoid - anterolaterally - fossa for lacrimal gland in orbital frontal bone accommodates lacrimal gland Medial walls - parallel to contralateral - formed primarily by orbital plate of ethmoid bone - contributions from frontal process of maxilla, lacrimal and sphenoid bones - anteriorly indented by lacrimal groove and foosa for lacrimal sac - trochlea located superiorly - thin Inferior wall - mainly maxilla and partly zygomatic and palatine - shared by orbit and maxillary sinus - slants inferiorly from apex to inferior orbital margin - demarcated from lateral wall by inferior orbital fissure - gap between orbital maxilla and sphenoid Lateral walls - frontal process of zygomatic bone and greater wing of sphenoid - strongest and thickest wall - most exposed and vulnerable to direct trauma - posterior part separates robit from temporal and middle cranial fossae - nearly perpendicular to contralateral Apex -optic canal - lesser wing of sphenoid just medial to superior orbital fissure
What does the widest part of the orbit correspond to ?
Equator of the eyeball - imaginary line encircling eyeball - equidistant from its anterior and posterior poles
What are the bones forming the orbit lined with and where is it continuous?
Periorbita (periosteum of orbit) Continuous at: Optic canal and superior orbital fissure with periosteal layer of dura mater Over the orbital margin and through the inferior orbital fissure with periosteum covering external cranium Orbital septa at the orbital margins Fascial sheaths of extraocular muscles Orbital fascia that forms the fascial sheath of the eyeball
What is the function of the eyelids and lacrimal fluid?
Protection of the cornea and eyeballs from injury and irritation (dust and small particles)
Describe the eyelids
Moveable folds that cover the eyeball anteriorly when closed - protecting it from injury and excessive light keep cornea moist by spreading lacrimal fluid covered externally by thin skin and internally by transparent mucous membrane (palpebral conjunctiva)
What is the palpebral conjunctiva continuous as?
Reflected onto the eyeball where it is continuous with bulbar conjunctiva
Describe the bulbar conjunctiva
thin, transparent and attached loosely to anterior surface of eyeball loose and wrinkled over the sclera contains small, visible blood vessels adherent to the periphery of the cornea
What are the names of the deep recesses formed by the reflection of the palpebral conjunctiva onto the eyeball?
Superior and inferior conjunctival fornices
What is the conjunctival sac?
Space bound by the palpebral and bulbar conjunctivae closed space when the eyelids are closed but opens via an anterior aperture - palpebral fissure (gap between eyelids) when eyes open Specialised form of mucosal bursa Enables eyelids to move freely over surface of the eyeball as they open and close
What is the palpebral fissure?
Gap between the eyelids when they are open
What strengthens the eyelids?
Dense bands of connective tissue - superior and inferior tarsi - form the skeleton of the eyelids
What is contained in the tarsi?
Fibres of the palpebral portion of the Orbicularis oculi superficial to the tarsi and deep to the skin Tarsal glands Eyelashes Ciliary glands - sebasceous glands of the eyelashes
What is the function of the tarsal glands?
produce a lipid secretion that lubricates the edges of the eyelids - prevents them sticking together when they close - forms barrier that lacrimal fluid does not cross when produced in normal amounts - when production excessive, spills over the barrier onto cheeks as tears
What are the junctions of the superior and inferior eyelids known as?
medial and ateral palpebral commissures defining the medial and lateral angles of the eye/canthi
What structure connects the tarsi to the medial margin of the orbit?
medial palpebral ligament
What is significant about the medial palpebral ligament?
The orbicularis oculi originates and inserts onto this ligament
Where does the lateral palpebral ligament attach?
Tarsi to the lateral margin of the orbit
What is the orbital septum?
Fibrous membrane that spans from the tarsi to the margins of the orbit - becomes continuous with the periosteum Keeps orbital fat contained and - due to continuity with periorbita - limits spread of infection to and from the orbit Constitutes the posterior fascia of the orbicularis oculi muscle
What does the lacrimal apparatus consist of?
Lacrimal gland - secretes lacrimal fluid Excretory ducts of lacrimal gland - convey fluid from glands to conjunctival sac Lacrimal canaliculi - commence at lacrimal punctum (opening on papilla near medial angle of eye) - drain lacrimal fluid from lacrimal lake (triagnular space at medial angle of eye where tears collect) to lacrimal sac (dilated superior part of nasolacrimal duct) Nasolacrimal duct - conveys lacrimal fluid to inferior nasal meatus (inferior to inferior nasal concha)
