The extraocular muscles control eye movements and include the lateral, medial, inferior, and superior rectus muscles, and the inferior and superior oblique muscles. Each muscle has specific functions, and they are stimulated by cranial nerves. The central nervous system coordinates eye movements, allowing them to look in the same direction or opposite directions. Double vision is a common symptom of extraocular muscle palsy.
The extraocular muscles are the muscles found in the vicinity of each eye that are essential for controlling eye movements. There are six muscles responsible for the different movements of both eyes. They are the lateral, medial, inferior and superior rectus muscles, and the inferior and superior oblique muscles. Each of these extraocular muscles has specific functions that allow each eye to move in certain directions.
The medial rectus directs each eye to move inward toward the nose. This motion is called adduction, which means the motion is directed inward or toward the nose. The lateral rectus, on the other hand, performs just the opposite action. Direct each eye away from the nose, moving it outward. Abduction is the term often used for the outward movement of the eye.
The superior rectus muscle is primarily responsible for moving the eyes upward, in what is referred to as elevation. It also helps to rotate the top of each eye in the direction of the nose or twist. The inferior rectus muscle performs the opposite movements, such as directing the eye primarily toward the floor, or depression, and also turning the top of each eye away from the nose, or extortion. Both extraocular muscles also aid in eye adduction.
The superior oblique muscle is primarily responsible for eye inversion. Some of its actions include depression and abduction movements of the eyes. The inferior oblique muscle primarily carries out the extortion movement of each eye. Other actions include elevation and abduction.
Each of these extraocular muscles is stimulated by cranial nerves. The oculomotor nerve innervates the medial rectus, inferior rectus, superior rectus, and inferior oblique muscles. The abducens nerve stimulates the lateral rectus, while the trochlear nerve acts on the superior oblique muscle of the eyes. Injury to any of these nerves can cause paralysis or paralysis of the related extraocular muscles. The most common symptom in cases of extraocular muscle palsy is double vision, or diplopia.
The central nervous system coordinates the movements of both eyes, allowing them to look in the same direction. When the left eye moves outward, the right eye usually follows that direction by moving towards the nose. Eye movement in the same direction is called versions. Vergences are eye movements that follow the opposite direction, as in convergence, where both eyes are directed towards the nose.
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