lacrimation and tear film Flashcards
what is the lacrimal apparatus
- a group of structures that secreate tear fluid onto the eye
- lacrimal gland
distributes it over the surface of the eye
- lacrimal lake
drains excess fluid out of the eye
lacrimal canuliculi , lacrimal sac , nasolacrimal duct - these are sometimes known as the lactimal apparatus
what structure secreates tear fluid onto the eye
- lacrimal gland
what structures include the lacrimal apparatus
lacrimal gland , lacrimal lake, lacrimal canucliculi , nasolacrimal duct
- describe in summary how tears are secreated and drained
- lacrimal gland secreates tear fluid onto the eye , it is washed across the eye to the lacrimal lake which is on the medial aspect and then the canuliculi drain into the lacrimal sac which drains into the nasolacrimal duct which drains into the inferior meatus of the nasal cavity
describe the structure of the lacrimal gland
- exocrine gland - secreates substances through a duct- produces aqueous secreations and secreates it through ducts on to the eye
it is divided ino two parts by aponeurosis- where the muscle becomes a tendon - of the LPS (elevates the eye)
- large orbital part in lacrimal fossa in the frontal bone
- smaller palpebral (associated with the eyelid ) part
- additional acessory lacrimal glands scattered around conjuctival fornicies
(responsible for keeping the eye mosit- with background secreation of tear fluid)
describe the histology of the lacrimal gland
- lobulates tubulo acinar structure - it is essentially divided into lobules which form acini
acini = berries are round or tubular - and lined with secretory cells which produce lacrimal fluid - there are acini and tubules which converge on to intralobular and interlobular which then converge to form 12 excretory ducts - which empty into the superior conjuctival fornix
the lacrimal fluid is secreated into excretory ducts which empty into the superior conjictival fornix
most of the excretory ducts come from the orbital portion - and pass through the palpebral part of the gland to get to the eye - main 12 are from the orbital part and pas through the palpebral part to reach the conjuctiva
how does the lacrimal gland recieve its blood supply
supplied by the lacrimal artery - which is a branch of the opthalmic artery and enters the orbit via the optic canal
- venous drainage into superior opthalmic vein which leaves via the superior orbital fissure
how is the lacrimal gland innervated
recieves both autonomic and sensory fibres ( they stimulate / inhibit the secretomotor function of lacrimation and are therefore sometimes known as scretomotor nerves)
- sensory innervation is via the lacrimal nerve
- a branch of the opthalmic divison of the trigeminal nerve
autonomic innervation
- parasympathetic innervation - also has sympathetic fibres
both parasympathetic and sympathetic fibres ultimately reach the lacrimal gland via the lacrimal nerve
how is the lacrimal gland autonomically innervated
- lacrimation is under autonomic control
- it also has sympathetic fibres which inhibit lacrimation
how is sensation from the lacrimal gland innervated
- the lacrimal gland is innervated by the lacrimal nerve which is a branch of v1 (opthalmic division of the trigeminal nerve)
how is the lacrimal gland parasympathetically innervated
- the parasympathetic supply is from the facial nerve - which is one of the 4 parasympathetic cranial nerve
- starts in a nucleus in the pons known as the lacrimal nucleus which is a part of the superior salivatory nucleus
- preganglionic fibres are carried from the lacrimal nucleus and they travel along the greater petrosal nerve and then the nerve of the pterygoid canal to reach the pterygopaletine gagnlion
- post gangllionic fibres leave the pterygopaletine ganglion and they travel along with the maxillary nerve along the zygomatico and then zygomaticotemporal branch to eventually reach the lacrimal nerve and then the lacrimal nerve
where do the preganglionic fibres synpase with the post ganglionic fibres
— pterygopaletine ganglion
state the components used in the parasympathetic innervation of the lacrimal gland
- lacrimal nucleus which is part of the superior salivatory nucleus in the pons
- comes along greater petrosal nerve
- it then reaches the nerve of the pterygoid canal
- where it synapses is the ptergopaletine ganglion
- then the postganglionic fibres join with the maxillary nerve or the zygomaticotemporal division and then eventually converge on to the lacrimal gland alongside the lacrimal nerve
what cranial nerve are the parasympathetic fibres that innervate lacrimation apart of ?
- the facial nerve
how is the lacrimal gland sympathetically innervated
- sympathetic fibres have short preganglionic chains and long post ganglionic
- post ganglionic nerves travel in the deep petrosal nerve and then follow the same course
-
where do the preganglionic fibres of the sympathetic nerves that innervate the lacrimal gland synapse
- in the cervical chain
- they dont synapse in the ptergoplaetine ganglion because they are already postganglionic fibres at that point
how are the deep petrosal nerve and greater petrosal nerve involved in parasympathetic and sympathetic innervation to the lacrimal gland respectivley
- the deep petrosal nerve is the nerve involved in the sympathetic innervation to the lacrimal gland
- the greater petrosal nerve is involved in the parasympathetic innervation to the lacrimal gland
describe the afferent and efferent limb of the lacrimatory reflex
afferent limb = sensory fibre taking sensation from the lacrimal gland
secretomotor limb - efferent limb - parasympathetic fibre- stimulates the lacrimal gland to produce tears
describe the sensory afferent limb that is involved in the lacrimatory reflex
- physical or chemical stimuli to cornea (or conjuctiva / nasal musosa )
- long cillary nerve (takes sensory imformation from the cornea) - eventually reaches the lacrimal nucleus
- opthalmic divison trigeminal nerve
lacrimal nucleus ( carries imformation about damage or pain from the cornea)
responses are coordinated via the facial nerve (parasymppathetic cranial nerve 7)
describe the efferent secretomotor limb of the lacrimatory reflex
- lacrimation via parasympathetic fibres via the facial nerve ‘’secretomotor’ - causes lacrimation
- rapid secreation of fluid by the lacrimal gland to wash away and chemically neutralise potential threat to tear film
what are all the parts of the parasympathetic pathway to the lacrimal gland
L N
FN - facial nerve
GPN - greater petrosal nerve
PG- ptergopaletine ganglion
MN - maxillary nerve
ZN - zygomatic nerve
LN - lacrimal nerve
lacrimal gland
LG
describe the role of the acessory lacrimal gland
- the main lacrimal gland is good for washing away damaging stimuli in the lacrimal reflex
- normal/ baseline tear formation is necessary to keep the eye moist and is provided by the acessory lacrimal glands
- crying/ excess tears is via main lacrimal gland in lacrimal reflex
- located throughout conjuctiva and strcturally similar to main gland
what is the lacrimal gland divided by
- lacrimal gland is divided by the aponeurosis of lps into orbital and palpebral parts
what is the lacrimal gland supplied by
- the lacrimal gland is supplied by the lacrimal artery and drained via the superior opthalmic vein
describe the sensory innervation to the lacrimal gland
-sensory innervation is via the lacrimal nerve which is from v1 (opthalmic divison of the trigeminal nerve)
where do the parasymapthetic nerves originate from
- parasympathetic innervation is via the facial nerve fibres originating in the lacrimal nucleus