title: Anatomy of the vertical lacrimal canaliculus and lacrimal punctum: a macroscopic study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To characterize the macroscopic anatomy of the vertical lacrimal canaliculus and the lacrimal punctum in relation to the tarsal plate.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-eight eyelids of 7 cadavers (mean age at death, 79.1 years; range, 65-93 years) were used for the investigation. The harvested eyelids were incised vertically around the central part of the upper and lower eyelids. The whole superior border of the upper tarsal plate and the whole inferior border of the lower tarsal plate were exposed by removing the soft tissues adjacent to them. We first examined whether these tarsal plates contained a lacrimal punctum. If the lacrimal punctum was found, we inserted a lacrimal probe to the punctum and measured the length covered by the tarsal plate using a millimeter ruler.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All the tarsal plates contained the lacrimal punctum, and the mean length of the canaliculi covered by the tarsal plates was 2.82 mm (range, 2.3-3.0 mm) in the upper eyelid and 2.39 mm (range, 2.3-2.5 mm) in the lower eyelid.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Since the length of the vertical lacrimal canaliculus including the lacrimal punctum is generally 2 mm, they are considered as tarsal components in both the upper and lower eyelids.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Aichi Medical University, Nagakute, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Hirohiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kakizaki
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Asamoto
authors.forename: Akihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ichinose
authors.forename: Masayoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iwaki
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002102:Cadaver; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007765:Lacrimal Apparatus / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors