Female Lacrimal Bone

Description

Seen in left lateral profile, the lacrimal bone is highlighted on the anteromedial wall of the orbit, just posterior to the frontal process of the maxilla and anterior to the orbital plate of the ethmoid. Its lacrimal groove runs vertically, forming the bony channel that, together with the maxilla, completes the fossa for the lacrimal sac and the proximal nasolacrimal duct. Superiorly the lacrimal bone approaches the frontal bone near the frontoethmoidal region, while inferiorly it leads toward the inferior nasal meatus through the nasolacrimal canal. Surrounding context in the model includes the frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital bones with visible sutures, the zygomatic bone laterally, and the mandible at the temporomandibular joint. Understanding this lateral perspective matters when teaching tear drainage and when planning lacrimal surgery, because the lacrimal crest and groove define where the lacrimal sac sits relative to the medial canthus and the adjacent ethmoid air cells. Dacryocystitis and primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction often localize to this bony corridor, and endoscopic or external dacryocystorhinostomy relies on accurate orientation to the lacrimal bone and the frontal process of the maxilla to avoid unintended entry into the orbit. Small bone, high consequence. Educators can pair this view with axial CT or endoscopic anatomy to explain why an orbital blowout fracture or medial wall trauma may disrupt the lacrimal apparatus and produce epiphora, while the included cervical vertebrae (atlas and axis), hyoid bone, and TMJ make it useful for integrated head and neck teaching plates in medical, dental, and ophthalmology curricula. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.