Long ciliary nerves

Long ciliary nerves
Nerves of the orbit, and the ciliary ganglion. Side view.
Details
From	Nasociliary nerve
Fiber type	"Somatosensory" (via V1 Lacrimal), and "Sympathetic" (via V2 Zygomatic)
Identifiers
Latin	nervi ciliares longi
TA98	A14.2.01.027
TA2	6206
FMA	52691
Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy

The long ciliary nerves, two or three in number, are given off from the nasociliary nerve as it crosses the optic nerve. The nasociliary nerve that the long ciliary nerves branch from is itself a branch of the ophthalmic branch (V₁) of the trigeminal nerve (CN V).

They accompany the short ciliary nerves from the ciliary ganglion, pierce the posterior part of the sclera, and running forward between it and the choroid, are distributed to the iris and cornea.

The long ciliary nerves provide sensory innervation to the eyeball, including the cornea. In addition, they contain sympathetic fibers from the superior cervical ganglion to the dilator pupillae muscle. The sympathetic fibers to the dilator pupillae muscle mainly travel in the nasociliary nerve but there are also sympathetic fibers in the short ciliary nerves that pass through the ciliary ganglion without forming synapses.

See also

• Short ciliary nerves

Additional images

• 
  Pathways in the Ciliary Ganglion.

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 888 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

External links