The supraorbital vein is a vein 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 fore ...

. It communicates with the frontal branch of the superficial temporal vein. It passes through the

supraorbital notch The supraorbital foramen, is a bony elongated opening located above the orbit (eye socket) and under the forehead. It is part of the frontal bone of the skull. The supraorbital foramen lies directly under the eyebrow. In some people this foramen i ...

, and merges with the

angular vein The angular vein is a vein of the face. It is the upper part of the facial vein, above its junction with the superior labial vein. It is formed by the junction of the supratrochlear vein and supraorbital vein, and joins with the superior labial ...

to form the

superior ophthalmic vein The superior ophthalmic vein is a vein of the orbit that drains venous blood from structures of the upper orbit. It is fromed by the union of the angular vein, and supraorbital vein. It passes backwards within the orbit alongside the ophthalmic ...

. The supraorbital vein helps to drain blood from the

, eyebrow, and

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. The human eyel ...

Structure

The supraorbital vein begins on the

, where it communicates with the frontal branch of the superficial temporal vein. It runs downward superficial to the frontalis muscle. It merges with the

to form the

. Previous to its junction with the angular vein, it passes through the

into the orbit around the

eye Eyes are organs of the visual system. They provide living organisms with vision, the ability to receive and process visual detail, as well as enabling several photo response functions that are independent of vision. Eyes detect light and conv ...

. As this vessel passes through the notch, it receives the frontal

diploic vein The diploic veins are large, thin-walled valveless veins that channel in the diploë between the inner and outer layers of the cortical bone in the skull. They are lined by a single layer of endothelium supported by elastic tissue. They develop fu ...

through a foramen at the bottom of the notch.

Function

The supraorbital vein helps to drain blood from the

, eyebrow, and

Additional images

File:Gray515.png, Bloodvessels of the eyelids, front view. File:Lateral head anatomy detail.jpg, Lateral head anatomy detail File:Head ap anatomy.jpg, Head anatomy anterior view

References

{{circulatory-stub Veins of the head and neck