Corpus: Lacrimal apparatus

The lacrimal apparatus of the domestic mammal comprises the glands supplying lacrimal fluid and the draining lacrimal ducts.

The lacrimal apparatus serves to provide and drain the secretion formed in the tear-producing glands, which on the one hand moisturises the eye and on the other also serves to provide antimicrobial protection. The tear fluid is distributed evenly over the anterior surface of the eyeball by the blinking of the eyelid and thus protects the cornea from drying out. At the same time, the conjunctiva is cleaned of foreign bodies.

The lacrimal apparatus can be divided into a tear-producing section (glands) and a tear-draining section (tear ducts).

Glands[Bearbeiten]

The lacrimal apparatus includes the tear-producing glands,

• the lacrimal gland (glandula lacrimalis) and
• the nictitating glands (glandula palpebrae tertiae superficialis and profundus).

Lachrymal ducts[Bearbeiten]

The draining lacrimal ducts are formed by several structures. From proximal to distal these are:

• the lacrimal caruncle (caruncula lacrimalis) with two slit-shaped lacrimal puncta (puncta lacrimalia), which are divided into.
• the lacrimal canaliculi (canaliculi lacrimales) to lead into
• the lacrimal sac (saccus lacrimalis). From this
• the nasolacrimal duct (Ductus nasolacrimalis), which is a thin, membranous tube that runs through the bony lacrimal canal of the lacrimal bone towards the nasal cavity (Cavum nasi).

• Nickel, Richard, August Schummer, Eugen Seiferle. Volume IV: Nervous system. Textbook of the anatomy of domestic animals. Parey, 2004.
• Nomina Anatomica Veterinaria, NAV