ciliary nerve


ciliary nerve

Either of two nerves, the long ciliary nerve and the short ciliary nerve, that carry sensory axons and postganglionic sympathetic fibers that innervate the ciliary body, iris, and cornea of the eye. The long ciliary nerves are branches of the nasociliary nerve; the short ciliary nerves come from the ciliary ganglion and also contain preganglionic parasympathetic axons. See also: nerve