The eye-moving muscles
Extraocular muscles · musculi externi bulbi oculi
Six small muscles around each eye that point it with remarkable precision.
What it does
Four straight muscles and two angled ones attach to each eyeball and swivel it up, down, sideways and around. A seventh muscle lifts the upper lid. They work in perfectly matched pairs across both eyes so that the two images fuse into one.
Surprising fact
Eye muscles are among the fastest-contracting muscles in the body, letting your eyes jump between targets several times a second.
Why it matters
If these muscles don't work together, the eyes don't line up and you may see double. A squint in children can be treated, often with glasses, patches or surgery.
Nearby
Read more
Sources
Drafted with AI help; awaiting a human fact-check against these sources.
Open in the 3D atlas · Suggest a correction · Not medical advice.
3D models: Z-Anatomy & BodyParts3D (CC BY-SA 4.0 / 2.1 JP). Card text CC BY 4.0.