Long posterior ciliary arteries

Artery: Long posterior ciliary arteries
The arteries of the choroid and iris. The greater part of the sclera has been removed.
Iris, front view.
Latin	arteriae ciliares posteriores longae
Gray's	subject #146 571
Supplies	iris ciliary body choroid
Source	ophthalmic artery

The long posterior ciliary arteries are arteries of the head arising, together with the other ciliary arteries, from the ophtalmic artery. There are two in each eye.

Course

They pierce the posterior part of the sclera at some little distance from the optic nerve, and run forward, along either side of the eyeball, between the sclera and choroid, to the ciliary muscle, where they divide into two branches.

These form an arterial circle, the circulus arteriosus major, around the circumference of the iris, from which numerous converging branches run, in the substance of the iris, to its pupillary margin, where they form a second (incomplete) arterial circle, the circulus arteriosus minor.

Target

The long posterior ciliary arteries supply the iris, ciliary body and choroid.

External links

• Long+posterior+ciliary+arteries at eMedicine Dictionary

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained within it may be outdated.