
There are six muscles to control the movements of each eye. Muscle
(a) swivels it away from the nose
(b) towards the nose
(c) rotates it upwards
(d) downwards
(e) moves it down and outwards
(f) moves it upwards and outwards.
All these movements are coordinated in the brain. If the lateral rectus muscle in one eye contracts, the medial rectus of the other will contract to a similar extent. The superior recti work together to pull the eyes back and also to look up. The inferior recti make the eyes look down. The superior oblique muscles rotate the eye downwards and outwards and the inferior oblique upwards and outwards.