Ophthalmic nerve

Ophthalmic nerve
Oblique section through the cavernous sinus.
Nerves of the orbit, and the ciliary ganglion. Side view.
Details
From	trigeminal nerve
To	frontal nerve, lacrimal nerve, nasociliary nerve
Identifiers
Latin	n. ophthalmicus
MeSH	A08.800.800.120.760.650
TA	A14.2.01.016
FMA	52621
Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy []

The ophthalmic nerve (CN V: V₁) is one of the three branches of the trigeminal nerve, the fifth cranial nerve. It carries sensory information from the face/scalp and sympathetic fibers for pupil dilation in the long ciliary branch of the nasociliary nerve.

The frontal branch passes through the orbit superiorly, then reenters the frontal bone briefly before exiting above the orbit through the superior orbital fissure and the supraorbital notch to provide sensory innervation for the skin of the forehead and scalp. The lacrimal nerve passes through the orbit superiorly to innervate the lacrimal gland. The nasociliary branch gives off several sensory branches to the orbit and then continues out through the anterior ethmoidal foramen, where it enters the nasal cavity and provides innervation for much of the anterior nasal mucosa. It also gives off a branch which exits through the nasal bones to form the external nasal branch.

The ophthalmic nerve is joined by filaments from the cavernous plexus of the sympathetic, and communicates with the oculomotor, trochlear, and abducent nerves; it gives off a recurrent (meningeal) filament which passes between the layers of the tentorium.

The ophthalmic nerve supplies branches to the cornea, ciliary body, and iris; to the lacrimal gland and conjunctiva; to the part of the mucous membrane of the nasal cavity; and to the skin of the eyelids, eyebrow, forehead and nose.