Axenfeld nerve loops
Contributor: Jesse Vislisel, MD
Photographer: Cindy Montague, CRA
Axenfeld nerve loops are loops of the long posterior ciliary nerves within the sclera, often located about 2.5-3mm posterior to the limbus. They are a normal anatomic landmark. The loops appear as gray or white nodules underlying the bulbar conjunctiva and are often surrounded by pigment. Some loops may share a scleral emissary channel with an artery. In this photo, multiple Axenfeld nerve loops can be seen arranged in an arc pattern roughly equidistant from the limbus.
Ophthalmic Atlas Images by EyeRounds.org, The University of Iowa are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
last updated: 3/9/2014
