Central retinal artery
Central Retinal Artery
The Central Retinal Artery (CRA) (pronunciation: /ˈsɛntrəl rɪˈtɪnəl ˈɑːrtəri/), is the primary blood vessel responsible for supplying the inner two-thirds of the retina with oxygen and nutrients.
Etymology
The term "Central Retinal Artery" is derived from its central location within the retina and its function as an artery. The word "retinal" is derived from the Latin word "retina", which means "net", and the word "artery" is derived from the Greek word "ἀρτηρία" (artēría), which means "pipe, conduit, or artery".
Anatomy
The Central Retinal Artery originates from the ophthalmic artery, which is a branch of the internal carotid artery. It enters the optic nerve approximately 10-15 mm behind the globe of the eye, and runs within the nerve to reach the retina.
Function
The Central Retinal Artery provides oxygen and nutrients to the inner two-thirds of the retina, which includes the layers of the retina responsible for processing visual information. This includes the ganglion cell layer, the inner plexiform layer, the inner nuclear layer, and the outer plexiform layer.
Related Terms
- Retina: The light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of the inner eye.
- Ophthalmic artery: The artery that supplies blood to the eye and its surrounding structures.
- Internal carotid artery: One of the two main arteries that supply blood to the brain.
- Ganglion cell: A type of neuron located in the retina.
- Inner plexiform layer: A layer in the retina where bipolar cell axons synapse with ganglion cells.
- Inner nuclear layer: A layer of the retina that contains the cell bodies of bipolar cells, horizontal cells, and amacrine cells.
- Outer plexiform layer: A layer of the retina where photoreceptor cells synapse with bipolar and horizontal cells.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Central retinal artery
- Wikipedia's article - Central retinal artery
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