Supraorbital nerve

The supraorbital nerve is one of two branches of the frontal nerve, itself a branch of the ophthalmic nerve. The other branch of the frontal nerve is the supratrochlear nerve.[1]

Not to be confused with infraorbital nerve.
Supraorbital nerve
Nerves of the orbit seen from above (supraorbital nerve labeled at upper right)
Details
Fromfrontal nerve
Innervatesskin of forehead and upper eyelid, conjunctiva of upper eyelid, frontal sinus
Identifiers
LatinNervus supraorbitalis
TA98A14.2.01.021
TA26200
FMA52655
Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy

Structure

The supraorbital nerve branches from the frontal nerve midway between the base and apex of the orbit. It travels anteriorly above the levator palpebrae superioris and exits the orbit through the supraorbital foramen (or notch) in the superior margin orbit. It exits the orbit lateral to the supratrochlear nerve. It then ascends onto the forehead beneath the corrugator supercilii and frontalis muscles and divides into a medial branch and lateral branch.

Function

The supraorbital nerve provides sensory innervation to the skin of the lateral forehead and upper eyelid, as well as the conjunctiva of the upper eyelid and mucosa of the frontal sinus.

Additional images
  • Superior view of a dissection of the left orbit. The frontal nerve can be seen dividing into the supratrochlear nerve, medially and the supraorbital nerve, laterally.
  • Anterior view of the orbit. The supraorbital nerve can be seen exiting the orbit through the supraorbital notch with the supraorbital artery.

References
  1. Stranding, Susan (2015). Gray's Anatomy : The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice (41st ed.). Philadelphia: Elsevier. ISBN 978-0-7020-5230-9. OCLC 920806541.


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