The Morphological Study of the Ophthalmic Artery and the Central Retinal Artery for the Korean Adults

ABSTRACT

To study the morphological anatomy of ophthalmic artery and its branches in the Korean adults, the author dissected fifteen cadaver orbits, and reviewed fifty carotid angiograms and ten high resolution magnetic resonance images of orbit. In 8 of 15(53.3%) cadavers the ophthalmic artery arises at the upper medial circumference of the internal carotid artery in the cerebral portion of the intracranial cavity. The ophthalmic artery crosses over the optic verve in 21 of 25 cases(84.0% Cadaver 11/15, Orbit MRI 10/10) and passes under the optic verve in 4 of 25 cases(16.0% Cadaver 4/15, Orbit MRI(10/10). Average distance from its origin to its first branch was 21.9mm. The central retinal artery and medial posterior ciliary artery were identified its frist branch in 7 of 15 cases(46.7%). The tortuous central retinal artery courses forward inferior to the optic verve and mostly enters inferomedial side of the optic nerve in 9 of 15 cases(60.0%), penetrating into dural sheath at 13.0mm behind the globe. There were no significant difference in sexually or laterality(p>0.05). This result shares great deal of similarity with the previous reports(p>0.05).