Prepared by :Amani Mohsen

Introduction

Arteries: are vessels that carry blood away from the heart.

The carotid arteries are blood vessels that supply blood to the head, neck and brain.

One carotid artery is position on each side of the neck.

The right common carotid artery branches from the brachiocephalic artery and extends up the right side of the neck

The left common carotid artery branches from the aorta and extends up the left side of the neck.

The common carotid artery is found as duple, with one on each side of the anterior neck. Each common carotid artery is divided into an external and internal carotid artery.

These arteries transfer blood to the structures inside and outside the skull.

The external carotid artery brings blood to structures outside the skull.

internal carotid artery - Supplies oxygenated blood to the brain and eyes.

We are going to focusing at the internal carotid artery especially the ophthalmic artery (OA)

ophthalmic artery (OA)

Structure

The OA emerges from the internal carotid .

it’s enters the orbit within the duralsheath of the optic nerve -passes through the optic canal (below and lateral to the nerve)

. Branches of the OA supply all the structures in the orbit as well as some structures in the nose and face

Central retinal artery

The central retinal artery is the first, and one of the

smaller branches of the OA and runs in the dura

mater inferior to the optic nerve.

the central retinal artery turns superiorly and

runs along the optic nerve continuing along

the center of the optic nerve entering the eye to

supply the inner retinal layers.

These blood vessels can be examinedduring a dilated eye exam.