palpebral conjunctiva

anatomy

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 1, 2026

Quick Summary

The palpebral conjunctiva is the innermost layer of the eyelid, a mucous membrane that lines the eyelid and covers the visible part of the eyeball, excluding the cornea. This membrane attaches the eyeball to the orbit and eyelids, allowing for the eye's rotation.12

The conjunctiva has two parts:
* Palpebral conjunctiva: Lines the inside of the eyelids.1
* Bulbar conjunctiva: Covers the white part of the eyeball.1

Between these two parts are the fornices, or conjunctival sacs, which are loose folds that enable the movement of the eyelids and eyeball. The eyelids themselves are crucial for keeping the cornea moist and protecting the eye from injury.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

3 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

human eye
The conjunctiva
…the lids is called the palpebral portion of the conjunctiva; the portion covering the white of the eyeball is called the bulbar conjunctiva. Between the bulbar and the palpebral conjunctiva there are two loose, redundant portions forming recesses that project back toward the equator of the globe. These recesses are…
Read More
…the lids is called the palpebral portion of the conjunctiva; the portion covering the white of the eyeball is called the bulbar conjunctiva. Between the bulbar and the palpebral conjunctiva there are two loose, redundant portions forming recesses that project back toward the equator of the globe. These recesses are…
Read More