Final answer:
The optic canal and superior orbital fissure at the posterior apex of the orbit allow for the passage of the optic nerve, ophthalmic artery, and nerves controlling eye muscles. The orbit itself is cone-shaped, providing structural housing and protection for the eyeball and related muscular structures.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student is asking about an anatomical structure known as the optic canal, found at the posterior apex of the orbit, which serves as the passage for the optic nerve from the retina to the brain, as well as for the ophthalmic artery. Adjacent to the optic canal is the superior orbital fissure, an elongated opening that allows for the passage of nerves and blood vessels that are critical for the function of the eyeball and associated muscles. The orbit itself is a cone-shaped bony socket that not only contains the eyeball but also houses the muscles responsible for moving the eyeball and opening the upper eyelid. Protection of the eye is ensured in part by the bony margins of the anterior opening of the orbit, which are thickened and constricted. Additional openings, such as the supraorbital foramen and the infraorbital foramen, allow for the passage of sensory nerves supplying the forehead and face below the orbit, respectively.