Eye movements
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Jones J, Knipe H, Worsley C, et al. Eye movements. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 05 Mar 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-10421
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rID:
10421
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Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Jeremy Jones had no recorded disclosures.
View Jeremy Jones's current disclosures
Last revised:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Henry Knipe had no recorded disclosures.
View Henry Knipe's current disclosures
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10 times, by
7 contributors -
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Systems:
Sections:
Synonyms:
- Globe movements
- Ocular movements
Eye movements are a complex set of movements of the globe that are performed by the extraocular muscles. Although each of the muscles have different primary actions on the eye, they rarely act alone and most eye movements involve a combination of synergistic and antagonistic muscles 1.
On this page:
Abduction and adduction
Abduction and adduction are the movement of the eye around its vertical axis away from and towards the nose respectively.
- abduction
- primarily mediated by lateral rectus
- supplemented by superior oblique and inferior oblique
- adduction
- primarily mediated by medial rectus
- supplemented by superior rectus and inferior rectus
Elevation and depression
Elevation and depression are the movement of the eye around its horizontal axis to look up and down respectively. The muscles primarily involved vary depending on the position of the eyes in the axial plane.
- elevation
- in neutral gaze and abduction, primarily mediated by superior rectus
- in adduction, primarily mediated by inferior oblique
- depression
- in neutral gaze and abduction, primarily mediated by inferior rectus
- in adduction, primarily mediated by superior oblique
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Internal and external rotation
Internal and external rotation are the movement of the eye around its anteroposterior axis, to move the top of the eye towards and away from the nose respectively. The muscles primarily involved vary depending on the position of the eyes in the axial plane.
- internal rotation (or intorsion)
- in neutral gaze and abduction, primarily mediated by superior oblique
- in abduction, primarily mediated by superior rectus
- external rotation (or extorsion)
- in neutral gaze and abduction, primarily mediated by inferior oblique
- in adduction, primarily mediated by inferior rectus
See also
References
- 1. Moore KL, Agur AMR, Dalley AF. Clinically Oriented Anatomy. (2013) ISBN: 9781451119459
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Articles:
- Stability of the eye
- Abducens nerve palsy
- Medial rectus muscle
- Ocular external rotators
- Ocular depressors
- Lateral rectus muscle
- Ocular abductors
- Ophthalmoplegia
- Ocular globe
- Inferior oblique muscle
- Ectopia lentis
- Superior oblique muscle
- Medical abbreviations and acronyms (F)
- Ocular internal rotators
- Extraocular muscles
- Medial longitudinal fasciculus
- Superior rectus muscle
- Ocular elevators
- Inferior rectus muscle
- Ocular adductors
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