DISSECTION OF THE ORBIT 



349 



fully both conjunctiva and fascia bulbi from the surface of the eyeball, 

 and spread them out round the orbital opening, as is depicted in Fig. 139. 

 The openings in the fascia bulbi for the tendons of the ocular muscles 

 and the thickened margins of these apertures are well seen. Note also the 

 sheaths which are given to the muscles. 



Check and Suspensory Ligaments. The connections of 

 the fascia bulbi to the walls of the orbital cavity are 

 somewhat complicated. The suspensory ligament (Lockwood) 

 plays an important part in this respect. It stretches across 

 the anterior part of the orbit, after the fashion of a hammock, 

 and gives support to the eyeball. Its two extremities are 



Tendon of superior oblique 

 Tendon of superior rectus 



Tendon of lateral rectus 



Cut edge of fascia bulbi 

 and conjunctiva 



Tendon of inferior rectus 



Tendon of medial rectus 



FIG. 139. Dissection of the Fascia Bulbi from the front. 



Fascia bulbi thrown 

 back from eyeball 



narrow, and are attached respectively to the zygomatic and 

 lacrimal bones. Below the eyeball it widens out and blends 

 with the fascia bulbi. The lateral and medial check ligaments 

 also constitute bonds of union between the fascia bulbi and 

 the orbital wall. They are strong bands which pass from 

 the sheaths around the lateral and medial recti muscles 

 to obtain attachment to the zygomatic and lacrimal bones 

 respectively, where they are brought into association with 

 the extremities of the suspensory ligament. The function 

 of the check ligaments is to limit the contraction of the 

 medial and lateral recti muscles, and thus prevent excessive 

 rotation of the eyeball in a lateral or medial direction. 

 There is a similar but less direct provision by means of which 

 the action of the superior and inferior recti muscles is limited. 



