Eye Trivia:

Good eye muscle skills are a critical part of having good vision.  Eye muscles work as a team to help us track moving objects as well as fixate on still targets. They help us in nearly every task throughout the day; tasks such as reading, driving, watching TV, or pouring a cup of coffee.

Did You Know?  Eye movement is controlled by SIX different muscles!  Eye muscles controlling movement are located behind the eye.  You won’t see them looking in the mirror.  Each muscle is attached to the globe of the eye on one end and to the bony orbit at its opposite end.

The Eye Muscles

The eye muscle names:

• Superior Rectus
• Inferior Rectus
• Lateral Rectus
• Medial Rectus
• Superior Oblique
• Inferior Oblique

As you may already know, muscles shorten when they are stimulated to contract.  Therefore it makes sense that the superior rectus moves the eye upward.  The inferior rectus moves the eye downward, the medial and lateral recti move the eye in and out, respectively.  The superior and inferior oblique muscles help the rectus muscles and allow for torsional rotation of the eye.

If you or your child has a problem with the eye muscles in any way will limit visual function and can lead to many problems, including double vision and poor binocularity.  Assessment of the eye muscles is included with examination at Iowa EyeCare.

Contact us in Marion, Robins, or Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for an appointment.

If you have a question about eyes or vision, leave a comment