anterior ciliary artery

The anterior ciliary arteries are branches of the ophthalmic artery that supply the anterior segment of the eyeball and the ciliary body. They typically arise from the muscular branches of the ophthalmic artery that supply the extraocular muscles, and they travel with these muscles to reach the anterior portion of the eye.

The anterior ciliary arteries are located on the surface of the sclera near the insertion of the rectus muscles. They penetrate the sclera just posterior to the corneoscleral limbus and enter the ciliary body, where they anastomose with the long posterior ciliary arteries to form the major arterial circle of the iris within the ciliary body.

The anterior ciliary arteries are involved in supplying blood to the ciliary body, iris, limbal conjunctiva, and the anterior part of the sclera. Together with the long posterior ciliary arteries, they form the vascular network that supports aqueous humor production by the ciliary processes and supplies the structures of the anterior uveal tract.

Surgical procedures involving the extraocular muscles, such as strabismus surgery, may be associated with disruption of the anterior ciliary arteries, which can be involved in anterior segment ischemia. Inflammatory conditions, vasculitis, or elevated intraocular pressure may also affect perfusion. Compromise may be associated with symptoms related to the anterior uvea and ciliary body.

The anterior ciliary arteries can be visualized using slit-lamp biomicroscopy, which may show their superficial scleral course. Fluorescein angiography of the anterior segment can assess limbal and ciliary perfusion. Anterior segment optical coherence tomography angiography (AS-OCTA) is an emerging technique for evaluating blood flow in the limbal and anterior uveal circulation.