Actions of Extraocular Muscles with Strabismus

Movement of a single eye in any direction

  • adduction- medial/nasal movement
  • abduction - lateral/temporal movement
  • sursumduction- elevation
  • infraduction- depression
  • incycloduction- superior limbus moves nasally
  • excycloduction- superior limbus moves temporally

Movement of both eyes in any direction. There are 9 cardinal positions of gaze including primary position.

  • Primary gaze- straight ahead
  • Right gaze
  • Left gaze
  • Upgaze
  • Downgaze
  • Up and Right gaze
  • Up and Left gaze
  • Down and Right gaze
  • Down and Left gaze

Primary Movers for each gaze position

Describes which muscles contract when the eyes are moved from primary position to one of the other 8 gaze positions. These are based on the primary action of each muscle. These are called Yoke muscles.

  • Right gaze- Right lateral rectus and Left medial rectus
  • Left gaze- Left lateral rectus and Right medial rectus
  • Elevation- Both superior rectus and Both inferior oblique
  • Depression- Both inferior rectus and Both superior oblique
  • Up and Right- Right superior rectus, Left inferior oblique
  • Up and Left- Left Superior recuts, Left inferior oblique
  • Down and Right- Right inferior rectus, Left superior oblique
  • Down and Left- Left inferior rectus, right superior oblique

From Clincal Strabismus Management. 1999 W.B. Saunders Company, A.L. Rosenbaum and A.P. Santigo Editors.p 16

Muscle responsible for the primary movement from primary position

The Law of Equal Innervation
When a voluntary eye movement is made, equal and simultaneous neural innervation is sent to the yoke muscles of both eyes.

The Law of Reciprocal Innervation
When a muscle contracts, its antagonist receives simultaneous inhibition, allowing smooth, efficient movement.

Action Muscles
Elevation Superior Rectus and Inferior Oblique
Depression Inferior Rectus and Superior Oblique
Adduction Medial Rectus, Superior Rectus, Inferior Rectus
Abduction Lateral Rectus, Superior Oblique, Inferior Oblique
Excyclotorsion Inferior Oblique, Inferior Rectus
Incyclotorsion Superior Oblique, Superior Rectus
Gaze (Versions) Yoke Muscles
Right Right Lateral Rectus, Left Medial Rectus
Left Right Medial Rectus, Left Lateral Rectus
ElevationBoth Superior Rectus and both Inferior Obliques
DepressionBoth Inferior Rectus and both Superior Obliques
Up and RightRight Superior Rectus, Left Inferior Oblique
Down and Right Right Inferior Rectus, Left Superior Oblique
Up and Left Left Superior Rectus, Right Inferior Oblique
Down and LeftLeft Inferior rRctus, Right Superior Oblique
  • overaction is graded +1 through +4 based on comparison to a standard photograph
  • underaction is graded -1 through -4 based on comparison to a standard photograph
  • Normal function is “0”

Grading Medial Rectus Action on Versions

Grading Lateral Rectus Action on Versions

Grading Inferior Oblique Action on Versions

Grading Superior Oblique Action on Versions