Anatomy study note · Head and neck

Ophthalmic veins

The superior and inferior ophthalmic veins drain the orbit through the superior orbital fissure into the cavernous sinus.

Key points

• Superior + inferior → cavernous sinus.
• Connect with the facial vein and pterygoid plexus.
• Route for spread of facial infection.
• Vessels: mesodermal, from angioblastic tissue.
• Vein: thin wall, adventitia thickest, valves.
• Veins hold ~70% of the blood.

The full note in the atlas also covers

Features · Histology · Development · Clinical notes

Sign in free to see it on the 3D model, read the full note and practise questions on it.

Written from

• Snell’s Clinical Anatomy by Regions, 10th ed., ch. 12, PDF pp. 1535, 1559, 1586
• Inderbir Singh’s Human Embryology, ch. 15, PDF p. 236
• BRS Cell Biology & Histology, 7th ed., ch. 11, PDF pp. 203–205

More from the head and neck

• Optic nerve
• Orbicularis oculi
• Orbicularis oris
• Palate
• Palatine tonsil
• Palatopharyngeus
• Parathyroid glands
• Parietal bone
• Parietal lobe
• Parotid gland
• Pharyngeal constrictors
• Pharynx

Privacy policy · Designed by DATXOC LLC.