Orbital Anatomy
Jump To
Our eyes are our primary sensory organ that allow us to understand our environment. At Idaho Eyelid and Facial Plastic Surgery, our surgeons and support team have a full understanding of anatomy of the eye and the eyelids that protect them. Our eyelids protect those eyes and serve many purposes, including shielding the eyeball from injury, controlling the amount of light entering the eye to prevent damage from that light, and lubricating the eyeball with tears secreted by the lacrimal gland. All these functions together help maintain the structural integrity of the eyeball and protect them from external influences.
The eyelid consists primarily of skin, soft subcutaneous tissue and a thin layer of muscle called the orbicularis oculi. Under this muscle is the septum which includes the fibrous orbital septum and tarsi. The eyeball is covered by a thin layer of tissue called the conjunctiva, and fat tissue aids in protecting it. The tissues can be divided into planes by structures called the septum. The orbital septum differentiates the orbital tissue from the lid. Behind the septum are a number of different other structures, such as the anterior and posterior lamellae. The anterior lamella consists of the skin and the orbicularis oculi muscle while the posterior lamella consists of the conjunctiva and the tarsus.
