NEURAL PATHWAY OF

LACRIMAL GLAND

PRESENTER - Dr C.MINU
MODERATOR – ASST Dr R.P MAHALAKSHMI
 LACRIMAL GLAND

This fluid forms the

It
The lacrimal gland (tear aqueous portion of a
secretes lacrimal The lacrimal fluid
gland) is an exocrine multilayered tear
fluid (tear fluid), a ultimately drains When produced in
gland located above film that lubricates,
watery fluid iso- through a series of excess, lacrimal
the eyeball, in the anterior protects & provides
tonic to plasma, ducts into fluid forms tears.
part of the upper outer as- nutrients to
onto the surface the nasal cavity.
pect of each orbit. the conjunctiva and
of the eyeball
cornea.
 Structure
•The lacrimal gland consists of 2 connecting parts: the larger orbital part and the
smaller palpebral part.
•The gland together with its associated drainage system of ducts form the lacrimal apparatus.
•The lacrimal gland is an almond-shaped structure, about 2 cm in length.

•It is located in the anterior, superotemporal aspect of the orbit, within the lacrimal fossa of
the frontal bone.
•The gland is split into two contiguous parts (lobes) by the lateral aponeurotic fibers of the levator
palpebrae superioris muscle into an orbital part & a palpebral part.

• This division is only partial due to a posterior wall of parenchyma between the lobes.
•The larger orbital part rests above the aponeurosis of the levator palpebrae superioris muscle &
the lateral rectus muscle laterally.

•It attaches to the periosteum of the orbit superiorly and the fascial sheath of the levator palpebrae
superioris aponeurosis inferiorly.

•Anteriorly, it is bounded by the orbital septum, with the orbital fat serving as its posterior border
The palpebral part of the gland lies below the levator palpebrae su-
perioris aponeurosis and projects into the superolateral aspect of
the upper eyelid to attach to the superior conjunctival fornix.

This part of the lacrimal gland can be observed clinically by

everting the eyelid.

The lacrimal gland contains about 12 main excretory ducts.

Ducts from the orbital part of the gland accompany those of the
palpebral part by piercing through the levator palpebrae supe-
rioris aponeurosis to empty into the conjunctival sac.

These ducts open along
the lateral aspect of the
superior fornix of the
conjunctiva.
In addition to the lacrimal
Although these glands are
gland, several accessory
considerably smaller, they
lacrimal glands (glands of
are structurally similar to
Krause and Wolfring) are
the main lacrimal
usually present in the
gland.
palpebral conjunctiva.

The accessory glands ac- Compared to the upper

count for about 10% of eyelid, the lower eyelid
the total lacrimal secre- has fewer accessory
tion. lacrimal glands.
 Pathway of lacrimal fluid
•The lacrimal gland continuously secretes lacrimal fluid into the lateral
aspect of the superior conjunctival fornix via the lacrimal ducts.

• The fluid is spread over the entire eye surface, from lateral to medial,
with each blink.

•At the medial canthal region of the eye, the fluid collects in a triangu-
lar space called the lacrimal lake.

•The fluid is subsequently drained by capillary action into the lacrimal

canaliculi which are small channels within each eyelid, via the lacrimal
puncta.

•The lacrimal puncta are the openings of the lacrimal canaliculi which
are located on the lacrimal papilla at the medial end of the upper
&lower eyelids.
 From the lacrimal canaliculi, lacrimal fluid drains medially into the lacrimal sac,the
dilated upper aspect of the nasolacrimal duct.

The lacrimal sac lies in a fossa formed by the lateral surface of the lacrimal bone & the frontal
process of the maxilla.

From the lacrimal sac, lacrimal fluid is carried by the nasolacrimal duct which opens at the ante-
rior end of inferior nasal meatus.

The fluid subsequently

This duct traverses a
drains posteriorly
bony canal (nasolacrimal A small amount of
through the nasal cavity
canal) formed by the lacrimal fluid is lost by
to the nasopharynx,
lacrimal bone, maxilla evaporation or absorption
where it mixes with mu-
and the inferior nasal across the conjunctiva.
cus & is ultimately swal-
concha.
lowed.
FACIAL NERVE NUCLEI
COURSE OF FACIAL NERVE
NERVE SUPPLY TO LACRIMAL GLAND
SENSORY PARASYMPATHETIC/SECRETORY(GVE) SYMPATHETIC
Lacrimatory nucleus

Trigeminal Superior cervical ganglion

Sensory root of Facial nerve
nerve
Geniculate ganglion
Post synaptic fibres around internal
Greater petrosal nerve carotid artery
Ophthalmic
division Foramen lacerum

Joins with Deep petrosal Deep Petrosal nerve

Lacrimal
nerve Pterygoid canal

Vidian nerve
Joins with Greater Petrosal nerve
Pterygopalatine ganglion
Postganglionic parasympathetic fibres to Zygo-
matic nerve
 Lacrimation reflex
•Stimulation of the cornea and conjunctiva activates a reflex pathway that
triggers an increase in tear production from the lacrimal gland.

• This phenomenon is referred to as the lacrimation reflex.

• The main goal of this reflex is to wash out the cause of irritation.
•
The afferent (sensory) limb of this reflex is carried by the lacrimal branch of
the ophthalmic nerve to the brain.

•The impulses are relayed by interneurons to parasympathetic fibers of

the superior salivary nucleus in the pons & to sympathetic fibers within the
thoracic region of spinal cord.
 The efferent limb of the reflex involves preganglionic parasympathetic secretomotor
fibres carried by the greater petrosal nerve and postganglionic sympathetic fibres carried
by the deep petrosal nerve to the lacrimal gland.

A variety of emotional states may stimulate an increase in tear fluid production in the absence of
a precipitating physical irritant.

This phenomenon is what is commonly called crying.


The main arterial supply of
the lacrimal gland is by
the lacrimal artery, which is
a branch of the ophthalmic
artery (from the internal
carotid artery).
The lacrimal gland is
drained by the superior oph-
thalmic vein into cavernous
sinus.
Blood supply
The gland is also sometimes
supplied by the infraorbital
artery which is a branch of
the maxillary artery (from
the external carotid artery).
The lymphatic drainage of
the lacrimal gland is by
the superficial parotid
lymph nodes which drain
into the superior deep cervi-
cal nodes.
 Function
•Function - lacrimal gland is the production of lacrimal fluid, which is involved in the maintenance of a healthy
ocular surface.

•Lacrimal fluid contains proteins, antimicrobial agents, water and electrolytes that ensure adequate lubrication,
protection and nutrition of the ocular surface.

•Lacrimal fluid contains a significant amount of water that keeps the surface of the eye moist as well as dissolved
elements that are necessary for normal cellular functioning.

The fluid contains antimicrobial agents including phospholipase, lysozyme, peroxidase, lactofer-
rin and immunoglobulins that provide defence against invading pathogens.

The lacrimal gland produces numerous other substances and proteins including retinol (derived from
Vitamin A) & growth factors such as epidermal, fibroblast & keratinocyte growth factors.

These are involved in corneal regeneration and maintenance of corneal avascularity & transparency.
 Preocular tear film
•Lacrimal fluid forms the aqueous component of the tear film, which is a three-layered coating of the ocular surface.

•The tear film is composed of an inner mucin layer (largely from conjunctival goblet cells), a middle aqueous
component and an outer lipid layer (from the Meibomian glands).

The trilaminar tear

Protecting the ocular
film performs several Removing debris &
surface from
important functions metabolic waste
pathogens
including:

Creating an air-tissue Promoting the in-

Providing an even op-
interface for gaseous tegrity of the transpar-
tical surface for light
exchange in order to ent cornea by provid-
transmission at the air-
provide oxygen to the ing nutrients & me-
cornea interface
avascular cornea tabolites
THANK YOU