Lacrimal nerve

Last revised by Craig Hacking ◉ ◈ on 13 Oct 2022

Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data

Citation:

Hacking C, Gaillard F, MacManus D, et al. Lacrimal nerve. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 03 Oct 2023) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-52112

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-52112

Permalink:

https://radiopaedia.org/articles/52112

rID:

52112

Article created:

22 Mar 2017, Craig Hacking ◉ ◈

Disclosures:

At the time the article was created Craig Hacking had no recorded disclosures.

View Craig Hacking's current disclosures

Last revised:

13 Oct 2022, Craig Hacking ◉ ◈

Disclosures:

At the time the article was last revised Craig Hacking had the following disclosures:

Philips Australia, Paid speaker at Philips Spectral CT events (ongoing)

These were assessed during peer review and were determined to not be relevant to the changes that were made.

View Craig Hacking's current disclosures

Revisions:

8 times, by 3 contributors - see full revision history and disclosures

Systems:

Head & Neck

Sections:

Anatomy

Tags:

refs

The lacrimal nerve is the smallest branch of the ophthalmic division of the trigeminal nerve (V1).

Gross anatomy

The lacrimal nerve divides off the ophthalmic division of the trigeminal nerve (V1) just before entering the orbit through the superior orbital fissure outside and superolateral to the tendinous ring. It is the most superior structure in the superior orbital fissure. It is the most lateral nerve that passes through the superior orbital fissure. As it enters the orbit, it courses laterally outside the cone of muscles beneath the periosteum of the orbital plate of the frontal bone (which it supplies) and along the superior margin of the lateral rectus muscle.

In the orbit it receives secretomotor parasympathetic fibers from the pterygopalatine ganglion via the zygomaticotemporal nerve (from the maxillary division of the trigeminal nerve) and sympathetic fibers from the adjacent lacrimal artery, which supply the lacrimal gland. It supplies the conjunctiva of the lateral upper eyelid and superior fornix. It then exits the orbit under the superior orbital margin laterally to supply the skin of the lateral forehead and scalp, lateral upper eyelid and around the lateral canthus.