Ophthalmic nerve

The ophthalmic nerve ( " Augapfelnerv " Ophthalmos, Greek eyeball ) is the first of the three main branches of the fifth cranial nerve, the trigeminal nerve, and is abbreviated as V1. He is responsible for the sensory innervation of the eye area. He leaves the cranial cavity through the superior orbital fissure and thus enters the orbit behind the eye. The ophthalmic nerve is in turn divided into four main branches: R. tentorii, frontal nerve, lacrimal nerve and N. nasociliary.

Ramus tentorii

The sensitive Ramus tentorii returns into the cranial cavity and innervated there developments of the dura mater ( dura mater, especially tentorium and dura membranaceum cranial fossae posterioris ).

Frontal nerve

The frontal nerve ( " forehead nerve", from Latin frons ' forehead ' ) draws medial to the extraocular muscles to the upper margin of the orbit and arrives there on the surface. He has two ramifications:

• Supraorbital nerve: The nerve passes through the supraorbital foramen and the people at the upper margin of the orbit of the first Trigeminusdruckpunkt. In some animals (eg the horse ) it passes through a separate hole ( supraorbital foramen ) to the outside, where it is easy to locate for a nerve block. The supraorbital nerve innervates the frontal region sensitive.
• Supratrochlear nerve: This nerve enters the nasal canthus to the surface and supplies the corresponding facial region including the upper eyelid. When predators it also innervates the mucosa of the frontal sinus.

Lacrimal nerve

The lacrimal nerve ( "Tears nerve", from Latin lacrima " tear" ) extends laterally beyond the outer eye muscles and leaves at the lateral corner of the eye, the orbit. It supplies the lacrimal gland and the area of the temporal side ( temporal ) Eye angle sensitive. He has so overlap connections to the zygomatic nerve ( the maxillary nerve ), the coverage areas of the two nerves.

About the lacrimal nerve and postganglionic parasympathetic ( secretory ) and sympathetic fibers are guided to the lacrimal gland. The sympathetic fibers originate from the internal carotid plexus, their actual origin lies in the spinal cord. The parasympathetic fibers originate from the 7th cranial nerve (facial nerve, specifically from the greater petrosal nerve ) and in the pterygopalatine ganglion on postganglionic fibers switched. About the ( communicating branch ) nerve zygomatic, which in turn is used as a lead structure, the sympathetic and parasympathetic fibers reach the lacrimal nerve.

Nerve nasociliary

The ulnar nasociliary (from Latin nasus "nose" and cilium " eyelash", " eyelid " ) crosses the optic nerve from lateral to medial and divides at the nose-lateral orbital wall in ethmoid nerve, the nerve infratrochlearis and Nervi ciliares longi. These nerves supply the nasal cavity, the lacrimal and the mean eye skin, the cornea and the conjunctiva.