What does the lateral rectus muscle do in the eye

The lateral rectus is a flat-shaped muscle, and it is wider in its anterior part. The lateral rectus muscle is an abductor and moves the eye laterally, and side to side along with the medial rectus, which is an adductor.

What do the rectus muscles of the eye do?

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. The inferior rectus is an extraocular muscle that attaches to the bottom of the eye.

What muscle moves the eye laterally?

Three pairs of extraocular muscles move each eye. The superior rectus and inferior oblique muscles primarily move the eye upward. The inferior rectus and superior oblique muscles primarily move the eye downward. The lateral rectus moves the eye horizontally laterally (abduction).

What is the action and innervation of your lateral rectus external eye muscle?

Horizontal movements are controlled entirely by the medial and lateral rectus muscles; the medial rectus muscle is responsible for adduction, the lateral rectus muscle for abduction. Vertical movements require the coordinated action of the superior and inferior rectus muscles, as well as the oblique muscles.

Is the lateral rectus muscle intrinsic or extrinsic?

Lateral rectusFMA49038Anatomical terms of muscle

What are the effects of paralysis of the lateral rectus muscle?

Damage at any point along its path can cause the nerve to work poorly or not at all. Because the lateral rectus muscle can no longer contract properly, your eye turns inward toward your nose. Sometimes, sixth nerve palsy happens without any other symptoms. This is called isolated sixth nerve palsy.

What are the actions of the lateral rectus?

Like other straight muscles, the lateral rectus is named by its position within the orbit relative to the eyeball. The primary action of the lateral rectus muscle is abduction of the eyeball. It works in synergy or opposition with other extrinsic muscles of the eye to produce coordinated movements and direct the gaze.

What is the action of the medial rectus?

OriginCommon tendinous ring (annulus of Zin)InsertionAnterior half of eyeball medially (posterior to corneoscleral junction)ActionAdducts eyeballInnervationOculomotor nerve (CN III)Blood supplyOphthalmic artery

What are the intrinsic muscles of the eye?

The intrinsic eye muscles include the ciliary muscle, iris sphincter and radial pupil dilator muscles.

What is the function of the muscles surrounding the eye and how do they affect vision?

The muscles hold the lens in place but they also play an important role in vision. When the muscles relax, they pull on and flatten the lens, allowing the eye to see objects that are far away. To see closer objects clearly, the ciliary muscle must contract in order to thicken the lens.

Article first time published on

When you are using the lateral rectus muscle what plane of motion is your eye moving in?

Table I Classification of Eye MovementsEye Movement TypeFunctionVestibulo-ocularGaze Stabilization

What are the muscles surrounding the eye and what movement does each muscle create?

The two oblique muscles of the eye are responsible for the rotation of the eye and assist the rectus muscles in their movements. The superior oblique muscle rotates the eye medially and abducts it when the eye if facing forward while the inferior oblique rotates the eye laterally and adducts it.

Which eye muscle is a lateral muscle quizlet?

The lateral rectus muscle is a muscle on the lateral side of the eyeball in the orbit. It is one of six extraocular muscles that control the movements of the eye. The lateral rectus muscle is responsible for lateral movement of the eyeball, specifically abduction.

Which cranial nerve controls lateral movement of the eye?

Cranial nerve VI abducts the eye through stimulation of the lateral rectus muscle.

What is right lateral rectus palsy?

Typical features of a lateral rectus palsy include: Sudden onset of horizontal double vision, which is worse when the patient looks to the affected side. Limited outward movement of the affected eye. Patients often compensate for this by turning their head to the affected side.

What causes eye palsy?

Key points about fourth nerve palsy Fourth nerve palsy means that a certain muscle in your eye is paralyzed. It is caused by disease or injury to the fourth cranial nerve. In children, it is most often present at birth (congenital). In adults, it is most often caused by injury.

Where is the lateral rectus muscle located?

The lateral rectus muscle originates in the bottom of the orbital cavity in the surrounding area of the optic canal, specifically in the lateral part of the common tendinous ring; the annulus of Zinn.

Which intrinsic muscles of the eye are involved in altering the pupillary diameter?

The iris sphincter muscle receives its parasympathetic innervation via the short ciliary nerves which lead to pupillary constriction (miosis) and accommodation.

What is medial and lateral rectus muscles?

The medial rectus is an adductor, and functions along with the lateral rectus which abducts the eye. These two muscles allow the eyes to move from side to side. With the head facing straight and the eyes facing straight ahead, the eyes are said to be in primary gaze.

What is the function of the rectus superior inferior lateral medial?

Respectively, the recti muscles insert onto the superior, inferior, medial and lateral sides of the eyeball. Based on their global attachments, these muscles serve to move the eyes in the four cardinal directions, with superior rectus producing elevation, adduction and internal rotation of the eyeball.

What is rectus anatomy?

Definition of rectus : any of several straight muscles (as of the abdomen)

What is the function of the externally attached muscles?

Locate the externally attached muscles. These muscles control eye movement and help focus images.

Which of the following is an intrinsic eye muscle quizlet?

What are Intrinsic Eye Muscles? Smooth muscle location within eye; include Iris (and muscles within Iris–the Pupillary Constrictor and Pupillary Dilator Muscles) as well as the Ciliary Muscle.

How does the anatomy of the eye relate to its physiology?

The iris controls the size of the pupil, and thus the amount of light reaching the retina; the ciliary body controls the power and shape of the lens and is the site of aqueous production; and the choroid is a vascular layer that provides oxygen and nutrients to the outer retinal layers.

When the right lateral rectus contracts the eyeball turns?

When it contracts, it laterally rotates the eye, in opposition to the superior oblique. Rotation of the eye by the two oblique muscles is necessary because the eye is not perfectly aligned on the sagittal plane.

What are the muscles that move the eye called quizlet?

often called extraocular muscles, move the eyes.

How do I strengthen my lateral rectus?

Lateral rectus exercises The cardinal point exercise involves looking to the extreme in each direction – up, down, right, and then left. Hold your eyes in position for ten seconds at each cardinal point. Repeat the exercise a total of five times. The eye rolling exercise is exactly what it sounds like.

What does the superior rectus muscle do?

The superior rectus has a primary action of elevating the eye, causing the cornea to move superiorly. The superior rectus originates from the annulus of Zinn and courses anteriorly and superiorly over the globe, making an angle of 23 degrees with the visual axis.

What is the primary function of the lateral rectus muscles quizlet?

The lateral rectus muscle is a muscle in the orbit. It is one of six extraocular muscles that control the movements of the eye (abduction in this case) and the only muscle innervated by the abducens nerve, cranial nerve VI. Its function is to bring the pupil away from the midline of the body.

Which of the following controls the superior rectus extrinsic eye muscle?

Superior rectusNerveoculomotor nerveActionselevates, intorsion, and rotates medially the eyeIdentifiersLatinmusculus rectus superior bulbi

Which nerve supplies muscle that moves the eye downward and laterally quizlet?

The abducens nerve (CN VI) innervates the lateral rectus muscle. The oculomotor nerve (CN III) innervates the superior rectus, inferior rectus, medial rectus, and inferior oblique muscles.