Extraocular Eye Muscles: Functions and Anatomy

Extraocular muscles

Six muscles present in the orbit that attach to the eye to move it.

Superior rectus

An extraocular muscle that attaches to the top of the eye and moves it upward.

Inferior rectus

An extraocular muscle that attaches to the bottom of the eye and moves it downward.

Medial rectus

An extraocular muscle that attaches to the side of the eye near the nose and moves it inward toward the nose.

Lateral rectus

An extraocular muscle that attaches to the side of the eye near the temple and moves it outward.

Superior oblique

An extraocular muscle that comes from the back of the orbit, travels through the trochlea, and rotates the eye inward while moving it downward.

Trochlea

A small pulley in the orbit near the nose through which the superior oblique muscle travels.

Inferior oblique

An extraocular muscle that arises in the front of the orbit near the nose, travels outward and backward, and rotates the eye outward while moving it upward.

Vertical section of the eye

A cross-sectional view of the eye showing internal structures.

Sclera

The white outer layer of the eyeball.

Ciliary body

A structure in the eye that contains the ciliary muscle and controls the shape of the lens.

Cornea

The transparent front part of the eye that covers the iris and pupil.

Pupil

The opening in the center of the iris that allows light to enter the eye.

Aqueous chamber

The space in the eye filled with aqueous humor, located between the cornea and the lens.

Iris

The colored part of the eye that controls the size of the pupil.

Lens

The transparent structure in the eye that helps to focus light on the retina.

Suspensory ligament

Fibers that hold the lens in place and connect it to the ciliary body.

Conjunctiva

A thin, transparent membrane that covers the front of the eye and lines the eyelids.

Choroid

The layer of blood vessels between the sclera and retina that provides nourishment to the eye.

Vitreous humour

The gel-like substance that fills the space between the lens and the retina.

Retina

The light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of the eye that converts light into neural signals.

Fovea

A small pit in the retina that provides the clearest vision.

Optic nerve

The nerve that transmits visual information from the retina to the brain.

Blind spot

The area of the retina where the optic nerve exits the eye, lacking photoreceptors.