Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Supraorbital vein
Introduction
The supraorbital vein begins on the forehead where it communicates with the frontal branch of the superficial temporal vein.
It runs downward superficial to the Frontalis muscle, and joins the frontal vein at the medial angle of the orbit to form the angular vein.
Previous to its junction with the frontal vein, it sends through the supraorbital notch into the orbit a branch which communicates with the ophthalmic vein; as this vessel passes through the notch, it receives the frontal diploic vein through a foramen at the bottom of the notch.
The areas drained by this vessel are the forehead, eyebrow and upper eyelid.
Additional images
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Bloodvessels of the eyelids, front view.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]