- Optic canal
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Bone: Optic foramen 
1: Foramen ethmoidale
2: Canalis opticus
3: Fissura orbitalis superior
4: Fossa sacci lacrimalis
5: Sulcus infraorbitalis
6: Fissura orbitalis inferior
7: Foramen infraorbitale
Base of the skull. Upper surface. (On the left, "Optic foramen" is the 12th label from the top. Latin canalis opticus, foramen opticum ossis sphenoidalis Gray's subject #35 147 The optic foramen is the opening to the optic canal.
The superior surface of the sphenoid bone is bounded behind by a ridge, which forms the anterior border of a narrow, transverse groove, the chiasmatic groove (optic groove), above and behind which lies the optic chiasma; the groove ends on either side in the optic foramen, which transmits the optic nerve and ophthalmic artery (with accompanying sympathetic nerve fibres) into the orbital cavity.
The left and right optic canals are 25mm apart posteriorly and 30mm apart anteriorly. They are funnel-shaped (narrowest anteriorly).
Additional images
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The seven bones which articulate to form the orbit.
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Sphenoid bone. Upper surface.
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Medial wall of left orbit.
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Dissection showing origins of right ocular muscles, and nerves entering by the superior orbital fissure.
See also
- Foramina of skull
External links
- SUNY Labs 29:os-0501
- Atlas of anatomy at UMich eye_6 - (look for #3)
- Anatomy at PSU skel/internal2 (look for #10)
This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained within it may be outdated.
Bones of head and neck: Foramina of the skull (and canals, fissures, meati, and hiati) (TA A02.1.00.053–097, GA 2.178–199) Anterior cranial fossa to Orbit: ethmoidal foramina (anterior, posterior)
to Nasal cavity: olfactory foramina (CN-I) · foramen cecumMiddle cranial fossa to Orbit: optic canal (CN-II) · superior orbital fissure (CN-III,IV,V1,VI)
to Pterygopalatine fossa: foramen rotundum (CN-V2) · pterygoid canal
to Infratemporal fossa: foramen ovale (CN-V3) · foramen spinosum/carotid canal
other: foramen lacerum · hiatus for greater petrosal nerve · hiatus for lesser petrosal nerve · sphenoidal emissary foramenPosterior cranial fossa internal auditory meatus/facial canal/stylomastoid foramen (CN-VII,VIII) · jugular foramen (CN-IX,X,XI) · foramen magnum (CN-XI) · hypoglossal canal (CN-XII) · condylar canal · mastoid foramenOrbit to Nasal cavity: nasolacrimal canal
to Face: supraorbital (notch, foramen) · infraorbital (foramen, groove) · zygomatic foramen (-facial, -temporal)
to Pterygopalatine fossa: inferior orbital fissure
other: Inferior orbital fissure · Fossa for lacrimal sacPterygopalatine fossa to Oral cavity: incisive canals · incisive foramen
to Nasal cavity: Foramen vomerinum · Meatus vomerinus · Fissura vomerina · Hiatus vomerinusOther Categories:- Foramina of the skull
- Musculoskeletal system stubs
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