There are seven anterior ciliary arteries on each side of the body;[1] two anterior ciliary arteries are associated with the superior, the medial, and the inferior rectus muscles, whereas the lateral rectus muscle is associated with only a single anterior ciliary artery.

[2] The anterior ciliary arteries exit the muscles near the muscles' insertions,[2] passing anterior-ward alongside the rectus muscles' tendons[2][3] before turning inward to perforate the sclera near the corneal limbus to reach the ciliary body.

Upon reaching the ciliary body,[2] they end by forming the circulus arteriosus major[3] by anastomosing with branches of the long posterior ciliary arteries.

[2] The anterior ciliary arteries contribute arterial blood supply to the rectus muscles, conjunctiva, sclera,[2][1] and the ciliary body.

[citation needed] The anterior ciliary arteries issue branches to the conjunctiva before piercing the sclera, forming an artieral network in the limbal conjunctiva.