What is the function of the external eye muscles?

What is the function of the external eye muscles?

Muscles directly associated with the eye include the extraocular muscles which control the external movement of the eye; the intraocular muscles, which are responsible for pupil accommodation and reaction to light; and the protractor and retractors of the eyelids.

How many muscles surround the external eye?

There are six extraocular muscles that control all of the movement of the eye. These muscles are the superior rectus, inferior rectus, lateral rectus, medial rectus, superior oblique, and inferior oblique.

What are the six extrinsic muscles of the eye?

The extraocular muscles are the six muscles that control movement of the eye (Superior rectus, Inferior rectus, Lateral rectus, Medial rectus, Superior oblique and Inferior oblique) and one muscle that controls eyelid elevation (levator palpebrae).

Which muscles are responsible for eye movements?

Three antagonistic pairs of muscles control eye movements: the lateral and medial rectus muscles, the superior and inferior rectus muscles, and the superior and inferior oblique muscles.

Which muscles moves the eye towards the midline?

Contraction of the medial rectus pulls the eye towards the nose (adduction or medial movement). Contraction of the lateral rectus pulls the eye away from the nose (abduction or lateral movement).

How many muscles are in the eye?

There are six muscles that attach to the eye to move it. These muscles originate in the eye socket (orbit) and work to move the eye up, down, side to side, and rotate the eye. The superior rectus is an extraocular muscle that attaches to the top of the eye. It moves the eye upward.

What are the 6 extrinsic eye muscles and function?

6 Extraocular Eye Muscles and Their Functions

  • Medial Rectus. The medial rectus is the largest extraocular movement muscle.
  • Superior Rectus. This muscle controls the eye’s upward movement.
  • Inferior Rectus. Opposite to the superior rectus, this muscle moves the eyeball downward.
  • Superior Oblique.
  • Inferior Oblique.

What are the 4 extrinsic eye muscles?

Extrinsic eye muscles (also called extraocular muscles) are attached to the outside of the eyeball and enable the eyes to move in all directions of sight….These muscles are:

  • Superior rectus muscle.
  • Medial rectus muscle.
  • Lateral rectus muscle.
  • Inferior rectus muscle.

What are intrinsic eye muscles?

The intrinsic muscles, which are involuntary, are situated inside the eyeball and comprise the ciliary muscle (see ciliary body) and the iris. The extrinsic muscles, which comprise three pairs of voluntary muscles, are inserted on the sclera (outer surface) of the eyeball and control its movements.