Internal palpebral artery

The internal palpebral arteries, or medial palpebral arteries, are branches of the ophthalmic artery, with superior and inferior medial palpebral branches arising opposite the trochlear of the superior oblique muscle.

Gross anatomy

The internal palpebral arteries enter the superior and inferior eyelids by piercing the orbital septum on either side of the medial palpebral ligament. These form a superior and inferior arch between the tarsal plate and orbicularis oculi muscle. These go on to form the palpebral arcades by anastomosing with the lacrimal artery.

Typically, two arcades are formed , a marginal and peripheral arcade, supplying the marginal and peripheral tarsal plate respectively. Furthermore, structures of the medial canthus are supplied by branches from the internal palpebral arteries.