Extraocular movements
Nerves and muscles
- LR6 SO4, all the rest 3 - lateral rectus = VI, superior oblique = IV, everything else + levator + pupil = III
| Muscle | Nerve | Primary action | Tested by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lateral rectus | VI | Abduction | Look laterally |
| Medial rectus | III | Adduction | Look medially |
| Superior rectus | III | Elevation in abduction | Up-and-out |
| Inferior rectus | III | Depression in abduction | Down-and-out |
| Superior oblique | IV | Depression in adduction, intorsion | Look down and in |
| Inferior oblique | III | Elevation in adduction, extorsion | Up-and-in |
- III also carries: levator palpebrae (ptosis), and parasympathetic pupillomotor fibres running on the outer surface of the nerve
- That superficial position is the whole clinical rule: compression hits the pupil first, ischaemia (vasa nervorum, central) spares it
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