Vorticose veins

Vorticose veins
The veins of the choroid. (Venae vorticosae labeled - though difficult to see - at center.)
Diagram of the blood vessels of the eye, as seen in a horizontal section. ("V", at center right, is the label for the vena vorticosa)
Details
Drains toSuperior ophthalmic vein, and inferior ophthalmic vein
ArteryShort posterior ciliary arteries
Identifiers
Latinvenae vorticosae
TA98A12.3.06.106
TA24892
FMA70880
Anatomical terminology

The vorticose veins, commonly known as the vortex veins, are veins that drain the choroid of the eye. Usually, there are four vorticose veins in each eye, but can vary up to eight in number. There is at least one vorticose vein per each quadrant of the eye, located at the lateral and medial sides of the superior and inferior rectus muscles. Vorticose veins drain into the superior ophthalmic vein, and inferior ophthalmic vein.

Vorticose veins are an important opthalmoscopic landmark.