Supraorbital Foramen On The Frontal Bone, Anterior View

Description

Supraorbital foramen (or supraorbital notch) is identified along the superior orbital margin of the frontal bone, positioned superior to the orbit and typically medial to the frontozygomatic region when viewed from the anterior aspect of the cranium. From this fixed viewpoint, the opening sits at the transition between the orbital part and the squamous part of the frontal bone, near the superciliary arch and lateral to the glabella. Adjacent bony landmarks commonly visible in the same frame include the orbital rim, the roof of the orbit, and the smooth anterior frontal surface that continues superiorly toward the frontal eminence. Small details matter here. Clinically, the supraorbital foramen transmits the supraorbital nerve, artery, and vein (neurovascular bundle emerging from the orbit to the forehead), and its morphology varies from a discrete foramen to an open notch, a difference that influences the success and patient comfort of a supraorbital nerve block for forehead laceration repair, migraine procedures, or perioperative analgesia in brow and upper eyelid surgery. Precise localization relative to the midpupillary line and the palpable supraorbital margin helps avoid inadvertent intravascular injection and reduces the risk of neurapraxia during incisions, endoscopic brow lift portal placement, or frontal sinus approaches. The anterior perspective also supports teaching of bony orbital landmarks used to assess periorbital trauma and swelling, where tenderness at the rim can obscure deeper fractures but the supraorbital exit point remains a consistent surface reference. Use this illustration in head and neck anatomy courses, craniofacial surgical atlases, emergency medicine training materials on regional anesthesia, and clinical guides that map sensory territories of the ophthalmic division (V1) of the trigeminal nerve across the forehead and scalp. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.