LACRIMAL BONE AR ATLAS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
LACRIMAL BONE AR ATLAS
AR Figure 49 – Lacrimal bone: Disarticulated view, Augmented Illustration by B. Leahu – MD. This image is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0).
The lacrimal bone is a small, paired bone located in the anterior region of the medial wall of the orbit. Despite its modest size, it plays a crucial role in the structure of the eye socket and the lacrimal apparatus, which is responsible for tear production and drainage. It articulates with several bones, contributing to the architecture of the facial skeleton: Frontal bone, Ethmoid bone, Maxilla, Inferior Nasal Concha.
AR Figure 50 – Lacrimal bone, Augmented Illustration by B. Leahu – MD. This image is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0).
A notable feature of the lacrimal bone is the posterior lacrimal crest, a vertical ridge on its lateral surface. This crest provides attachment for the lacrimal part of the orbicularis oculi muscle and helps form the boundary of the lacrimal sac fossa, playing a role in tear collection and drainage. Anterior to the posterior lacrimal crest lies the lacrimal groove of the lacrimal bone, a longitudinal depression that, together with the lacrimal groove of the maxilla, forms the lacrimal fossa. This fossa accommodates the lacrimal sac, facilitating the flow of tears from the eye surface into the nasolacrimal duct.
At the lower end of the lacrimal bone, the lacrimal hamulus projects downward as a small, hook-like process. This structure articulates with the maxilla and contributes to the formation of the nasolacrimal canal.
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