The ciliary arteries are divisible into three groups, the long posterior, short posterior, and the anterior. * The

short posterior ciliary arteries The short posterior ciliary arteries, around twenty in number, arise from the medial posterior ciliary artery and lateral posterior ciliary artery, which are branches of the ophthalmic artery as it crosses the optic nerve. Course and target They p ...

from six to twelve in number, arise from 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 s ...

as it crosses the

optic nerve In neuroanatomy, the optic nerve, also known as the second cranial nerve, cranial nerve II, or simply CN II, is a paired cranial nerve that transmits visual information from the retina to the brain. In humans, the optic nerve is derived fro ...

. * The

long posterior ciliary arteries The long posterior ciliary arteries are arteries of the head arising, together with the other ciliary arteries, from the ophthalmic artery. There are two in each eye. Course They pierce the posterior part of the sclera at some little distance fr ...

, two for each eye, pierce the posterior part of the sclera at some little distance from the optic nerve. * The

anterior ciliary arteries The anterior ciliary arteries are seven small arteries in each eye-socket that supply the conjunctiva, sclera and the recti muscles. They are derived from the muscular branches of the ophthalmic artery. Course The anterior ciliary arteries are ...

are derived from the muscular branches of the ophthalmic artery.

Additional images

File:Gray514.png, The ophthalmic artery and its branches File:Gray878.png, Iris, front view. File:Gray880.png, The terminal portion of the optic nerve and its entrance into the eyeball, in horizontal section.

References

Arteries of the head and neck {{Portal bar, Anatomy