Palpebral Fissure, Lateral View

Description

Captured in lateral profile, the palpebral fissure is defined by the free margins of the upper and lower eyelids (palpebrae), meeting at the lateral canthus and extending anterior to the globe. The upper lid lies superior and slightly anterior to the lower lid, with the lid margin forming a gentle arc over the corneal apex; the lower lid margin tracks inferiorly toward the malar region. Periocular skin, the nasojugal transition, and the contour from brow to cheek frame the eyelid opening in a way that keeps attention on lid position rather than the full orbital rim. Orientation is unmistakably lateral. Small changes in fissure height, canthal tilt, and lid-globe apposition carry outsized clinical meaning. Ptosis from levator aponeurosis dehiscence narrows the superior portion of the fissure, while facial nerve palsy typically widens it through lagophthalmos and lower-lid ectropion, predisposing to exposure keratopathy. This profile view also supports preoperative planning for blepharoplasty and canthopexy, where surgeons judge lateral canthal position, the relationship of lid margin to the corneal light reflex, and the balance between upper-lid show and lower-lid support, including aesthetic considerations across skin tones in a Black female patient. Use this asset for head and neck anatomy teaching on eyelid landmarks, oculoplastics modules covering palpebral fissure measurement and canthal procedures, or as a figure in clinical guidelines discussing periocular assessment and documentation from standardized lateral photography. It also fits patient-education materials explaining why clinicians record side-view eyelid position in ptosis and facial palsy follow-up. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.