Conjunctiva

Thin, transparent, mucous

membrane lining the posterior aspect of
eye lid & anterior aspect of eye ball

Latin : conjoin – to join ( it joins the

eye ball to the eye lid )
 Conjunctiva

Palpebral Conju nctival Bulbar

Conju nctiva Fornix Conju nctiva

Marginal Tarsal Orbital Scleral Limbal

 Marginal

Palpebral
Tarsal
Conjunctiva

Orbital
Extends from the lid margin ( opening of
tarsal gland ) to the sulcus subtarsalis

Sulcus subtarsalis
◦ Marks the inferior edge of the tarsal plate
◦ Shallow groove situated 2mm from lid margin
Firmly adherent to the tarsal plate

Thin+transparent+highly vascular
structure
Meibomian glands appear as yellow streaks
through the tarsal conjunctiva
Extends from the upper border of the
tarsal plate to the fornix

Loosely attached to the superior tarsal

muscle
 Scleral
Bulbar
Conjunctiva
L
i
m
b
• Thin, transparent & loosely attached
to underlying sclera

• Permits the visualization of Conjunctival

and episcleral vessels

• Separated from the sclera by

episcleral vessels and Tenon’s
capsule( a thin membrane ensheathing
the eyeball behind the conjunctiva
3mm ridge around the cornea

Conjunctiva, Tenon’s capsule and episcleral

tissue are fused together

Strongly adherent to sclero-corneal

junction
Joins the bulbar and palpebral conjunctiva

Ducts of the lacrimal gland open into the

lateral part of superior fornix
Epithelium

Adenoid
Layer

Substantia
Propria
Fibrous
Layer
 Conjunctiva Number of layers Cells in the layers

Superficial layer: Squamous cells

5 layered non-keratinised
Marginal stratified squamous Middle three layers: Polyhedral
epithelium cells

Deepest layer: Cylindrical cells

Superficial layer: Cylindrical cells

2 layers of Stratified cuboidal
Tarsal and Orbital
epithelium
Deepest layer: cuboidal cells

Superficial layer: Cylindrical cells

3 layers of Stratified,
Fornix and Scleral Middle layer: polyhedral cells
squamous
epithelium
Deepest layer: Cuboidal cells

Superficial layer: squamous cells

10 layers of stratified
Limbal squamous Middle layer: polygonal cells
epithelium
Basal- cubical
Also called Lymphoid layer

Consists of fine connective tissue in the

meshwork of which lies the lymphocytes

Not present at birth , develops after 2 - 3

months of life
Has Collagenous fibres + Elastic fibres

Thicker than adenoid layer except in the

Tarsal Conjunctiva

Lodges the Conjunctival vessels and

nerves
 Accessory
Mucin Glands
Lacrimal Glands

Glands of
Goblet Cells
Krause

Henle’s Glands of
Wolfring
Glands

Glands of
Manz
Unicellular round or oval mucous glands

Absent in the Marginal & Limbal conjunctiva

These cells are destroyed after discharging

the contents
 Numerous on nasal
side

High in children
and young
adults
Not true glands

Tubular structure which contains a few goblet

cells

Present in the folds of mucous membrane

present in palpebral conjunctiva between
tarsal plate & fornices
Located in the scleral conjunctiva

Arranged in a ring around the cornea, near

the scleral junction
Lie in deep sub - conjunctival tissue of the
upper and lower fornices

42 in number in upper fornix and 6 to 8 in

lower fornix

In upper fornix they lie between the palpebral

part of the lacrimal gland and tarsal plate.
Also called Glands of Ciaccio, larger than
Glands of Krause

Situated in the upper border of the tarsus

midway between the end of the tarsal glands

2 to 5 in the upper lid and 1 - 3 in the lower

lid
Marginal Tarsal Arcade

Peripheral Tarsal Arcade

Anterior Ciliary Arteries

 Lymphatic drainage

• Lymph vessels are

arranged as a superficial
and a deep plexus in
sub mucosa.
• Ultimately as in the lids
to the pre auricular and
sub-mandibular lymph
glands.
Venous drainage:

The veins from conjunctiva drain into the venous

plexus of eyelids which in turn drain into the
superior and inferior ophthalmic veins.
A cicumcorneal zone of limbus drain into the anterior
cilliary veins
 Sensory innervation of the superior palpebral
conjunctiva is provided by the frontal and lacrimal
branches of the ophthalmic nerve.
 Innervation of the inferior palpebral conjunctiva is
provided by the lacrimal nerve and the infraorbital
branch of the maxillary nerve.
Questions?