Corpus: Tarsal plate of eye

The tarsal plate of the eye is a flexible connective tissue plate permeated by taut collagen fibers that is found in the upper and lower eyelid.

Not to be confused with: Tarsus (foot)

The tarsal plates of the eye have a crescentic basic shape and extend from the temporal corner of the eye to the nasal corner of the eye. There they extend close to the lacrimal puncta. A distinction is made between:

• superior tarsal plate of eye: eyelid cartilage of the upper eyelid
• superior tarsal plate of eye: eyelid cartilage of the lower eyelid

Both plates are attached to the periosteum of the orbital wall by the orbital septum and ligaments. They are known as the medial palpebral ligament and the lateral palpebral ligament. These ligaments also form the origin of the orbicularis oculi muscle.