The infraorbital artery is a small[1] artery in the head that arises from the maxillary artery and passes through the inferior orbital fissure to enter the orbit, then passes forward along the floor of the orbit, finally exiting the orbit through the infraorbital foramen to reach the face.

[2] It may be considered a continuation of the third part of the maxillary artery[1] and continues the direction of the maxillary artery.

[citation needed] While in the canal, it gives off:[citation needed] On the face, some branches pass upward to the medial angle of the orbit and the lacrimal sac, anastomosing with the angular artery, a branch of the facial artery; others run toward the nose, anastomosing with the dorsal nasal branch of the ophthalmic artery; and others descend between the levator labii superioris and the levator anguli oris, and anastomose with the facial artery, transverse facial artery, and buccal artery.

[citation needed] The four remaining branches arise from that portion of the maxillary artery which is contained in the pterygopalatine fossa.

[citation needed] This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 562 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918) ocular group: central retinal