Optic Foramen

The Optic Foramen is an opening at the apex of the orbit that leads into the optic canal, which contains the optic nerve and ophthalmic artery. The optic foramen connects the orbit and the middle cranial fossa. The optic nerve (II pair of cranial nerves) and the ophthalmic artery pass through it, which innervate and supply the eyeball.

The optic foramen is formed from part of the main bone of the skull and has an irregular round or oval shape. Its dimensions vary from 3 to 5 mm. The edges of the optic foramen are formed by the small wings of the main bone.

Damage or compression of the optic nerve in the optic canal can lead to visual impairment, including complete blindness. Therefore, it is important to ensure the protection and normal functioning of the optic nerve in case of head injuries and diseases. The foramen optic plays a key role in transmitting visual information to the brain.

The optic foramen (lat. foramen opticum) is a small hole at the top of the pyramid of the temporal bone, through which the optic canal (optic nerve canal) passes, containing the optic nerve (II pair of cranial nerves) and the ophthalmic artery. The optic foramen is located at the level of the apex of the pyramid of the temporal bone. It is a round hole with a diameter of about 2 mm. The optic foramen communicates with the cranial cavity through the optic canal.

The opening of the optic nerve is located at the junction of the maxillary sinus or, as it is also called, the ethmoid, parietal and temporal bones. It appears on the well-known shape of the human skull, which is called “triangular”. It is in this hole that the channels pass through which the nerves of the eye, or more precisely, the visual apparatus, pass. The nerve fiber canal forms the base of the optic nerve. There is an understanding that these nerves were transferred to him from the neurovascular bundles of the occipital lobe of the brain in order to subsequently enter the system of cranial nerves, being transmitted to the optic nerve canal and directed to the canals to the membranes of the eye.

The optic foramen is a passage in the bony canal through which both the optic and sympathetic nerves pass. It is separated from the orbital sulcus and passes through the superior orbital fissure to the region of the greater pterygoid canal. In an adult, the optic nerve canal is 45 to 50 mm long and 2–3 mm wide.

The optic foramen is located in the superolateral wall of the orbit. The bone “nest” has a trapezoidal shape and consists of four walls. The anterior longitudinal and posterior bony walls are the floor of the optic canal. The opening is the exit of the optic canal to the anterior surface of the orbit for the passage of the intracranial nerve and the vascular system of the eyeball through it. IN