[Arterial supply to the anterior segment of the eye. Radioanatomical study of a series of 25 human eyes].

We studied the arterial vascularization of the anterior segment of 25 cadaver eyes. Arteries had been opacified by an injection of an aqueous suspension of barium. Our study has focused on the anterior ciliary arteries (ACA), emerging from the four rectus muscles. Among the numerous individual variations, we have noticed the following predominant aspects: for the external rectus muscle, the ACA is usually unique and thin, located in the superior or inferior third of the muscle. For the others rectus muscles, the ACA are rather big and frequently observed in pairs. They tend to be found on each lateral side of the muscle. By and large, the vertical ACA look bigger and more numerous than the horizontal ACA. The number, the size and the position of the long posterior ciliary arteries are quite uniform. The major arterial circle of the iris seems to be discontinuous, and is more and less made of arterial anastomoses. This study enabled us to reconsider the usual anatomical description of arterial supply of the anterior segment. The vascularization by the ACA, especially at the level of the inferior and superior rectus muscle, has to be known in order to avoid an anterior segment ischemia following strabismus surgery.