Advances in applied anatomy of the eyelid and orbit

The oculofacial surgeon seeking to achieve ideal outcomes and avoid complications in aesthetic, functional and reconstructive surgery must have an understanding of the three-dimensional anatomic features, as well as the dynamic aspects, of the eyelid and orbital region. Knowledge of the orbital and periorbital region may be the last frontier of human anatomy, as new information is still being uncovered every year and each clarification of anatomy leads to a new level of sophistication in the understanding and treatment of orbital and eyelid disease both medically and surgically.

Recently, a great deal of attention has been focused on better understanding of the vasculature, fatty tissue, fascial attachments, and lymphatic drainage of the orbital and periorbital region. This in turn has provided improved clinical understanding of orbital disease and surgical applications of these findings have been described.

Anatomic knowledge in ophthalmology is not yet complete but constantly evolving. Exciting new insights into treatment of ophthalmologic disease have resulted from the application of an ever greater anatomic understanding of the orbital and periorbital region.