Medial Palpebral Ligament, Anterior View

Description

Arising at the medial canthus, the medial palpebral ligament (medial canthal tendon) spans from the medial ends of the superior and inferior tarsal plates toward its firm bony insertion on the frontal process of the maxilla, immediately anterior to the lacrimal fossa. An anterior orbital view also brings the lacrimal bone into context, with the anterior and posterior lacrimal crests bracketing the lacrimal sac fossa just posterior to the ligament’s deep fibers. Superiorly, the ligament lies inferior to the anterior lacrimal crest and medial to the orbital rim, and the adjacent nasolacrimal pathway tracks inferiorly toward the inferior meatus. Small but decisive. Clinically, this is the anchoring structure that maintains eyelid apposition and positions the puncta against the globe, so disruption produces telecanthus and punctal malposition even when the tarsus and orbicularis are intact. Repair of medial canthal injuries after blunt trauma or laceration often targets secure reattachment near the anterior lacrimal crest, and the surgeon must respect the lacrimal sac just posteriorly to avoid iatrogenic epiphora. For oculoplastic teaching, pairing the medial palpebral ligament with nearby bony landmarks such as the frontal process of the maxilla helps explain why fractures involving the naso-orbital-ethmoid complex commonly destabilize the medial canthus. Use this artwork in head and neck anatomy modules, ophthalmology and oculoplastic surgery lectures, and reconstructive surgery atlases that need an anterior reference for medial canthal tendon fixation and its relationship to the lacrimal drainage apparatus. It also fits well in clinical education on eyelid trauma, canthopexy, and canthoplasty planning. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.