It has been commonly accepted that the lacrimal fascia is an intact septum,
composed of connective tissue, that separates the orbital cavity into a la
rge compartment, which contains the eyeball, and a small compartment, which
contains the lacrimal sac and nasolacrimal duct, the septum, however, is n
ot necessarily always intact. We found a circular or oval opening in the la
crimal fascia in 37 of 52 specimens (71.2%) examined. The opening, which we
shall refer to as the lacrimal fascial foramen, was located at variable le
vels in the lacrimal fossa. The lacrimal fascial foramen was buried in fatt
y tissue through which passed a branch of either the inferior palpebral art
ery or the infraorbital artery and a vein of the nasolacrimal duct. The cli
nical implications of the lacrimal fascial foramen in obstruction of the na
solacrimal duct are discussed. (C) 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.