The infratrochlear nerve is one of the two terminal branches of the nasociliary nerve, the other being the anterior ethmoidal nerve. It runs forward along the medial wall of the orbit below the trochlea of superior oblique and leaves the orbit at its inner corner. It supplies the skin of the medial eyelids and the root of the nose, and the nearby conjunctiva, lacrimal sac and caruncle.
| Origin | Terminal branch of the nasociliary nerve (ophthalmic division of the trigeminal nerve) |
|---|---|
| Course | Runs forward along the medial orbital wall above medial rectus, passes below the trochlea and exits at the medial angle of the eye |
| Motor |
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| Sensory |
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The infratrochlear nerve is blocked together with the supratrochlear nerve for surgery on the medial eyelids, the medial canthus, the lacrimal sac and the bridge of the nose. It can be cut or stretched in medial orbital and lacrimal surgery such as dacryocystorhinostomy, leaving numbness at the inner corner of the eye. Because it is a nasociliary branch, its skin area may show vesicles in herpes zoster ophthalmicus with eye involvement.
Dacryocystorhinostomy, medial orbital wall repair or medial canthal surgery can damage the nerve, causing numbness or occasionally painful neuroma at the inner canthus and side of the nasal bridge.
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