Short posterior ciliary artery

Arteries of eyeball – lateral view

Origin – ophthalmic artery

Course and supply:

• they are about 7 in number
• passes along the sides of the optic nerve to reach the eyeball
• divides into 15-20 branches
• pierce the sclera around optic nerve and enters eyeball
• supplies choroid and anastamose with branches of central retinal artery at the optic disc
• They form short posterior ciliary arteries anastomose with each other and form an anastomotic ring around the optic disc – circle of Zinn