Angioarchitecture of the ciliary artery circulation of the posterior pole
J. M. Risco, B. S. Grimson and P. T. Johnson
Morphologic findings on scanning electron microscopy of vascular cast of
the posterior pole in primates are presented. The prelaminar region of the
optic disc received the majority of its blood supply from the short
posterior ciliary arteries, mainly from direct branches arising from
peripapillary arterioles surrounding the optic nerve but also from indirect
branches from the peripapillary choroid. The capillaries from this
prelaminar region drained directly into the central retinal vein. The
peripapillary choriocapillaris was a single layer of anastomosing
capillaries supplied by precapillary choroidal arterioles. The
peripapillary choriocapillaris was not seen to contribute to the vascular
supply of the optic disc. Our results are in general agreement with those
of previous scanning electron microscopy studies of the vascular supply of
the distal part of the optic nerve.
