Nasociliary nerve

Last edit by Alaric Steinmetz on

The nasociliary nerve is a branch of the ophthalmic nerve (V1), which in turn arises from the trigeminal nerve.

Anatomy

The nasociliary nerve is a sensory nerve and passes through the superior orbital fissure into the orbit. The nasociliary nerve runs to the medial angle of the eye, which it supplies with its terminal branch, the infratrochlear nerve. It gives off the following branches[^1]:

  • Ramus communicans to the ciliary ganglion

  • Long ciliary nerves to the eyeball

  • Posterior ethmoidal nerve to the sphenoid sinus and the ethmoidal cells.

  • Anterior ethmoidal nerve passes through the anterior ethmoidal foramen to the cribiform plate and through this into the nasal cavity.

  • External nasal branch as a terminal branch, this supplies the skin of the dorsum and tip of the nose.

Figure

Orbital nerves
Lateral view of the neural structures in the orbit. Image adapted from Grays Anatomy.