Fig. 32. Schema of the growing retinal vessels at approximately 4 months. Main branches of the central retinal artery and those of the central retinal vein extend a short distance in the nerve fiber layer toward the equator. In the center, the regressing hyaloid artery is enveloped by a mantle of glia (arrow). Within the anterior half of the nerve, the central retinal artery is usually flanked by two accompanying veins that eventually merge to form the central retinal vein (key symbol).