Inferior Oblique

General information

Inferior oblique is a thin, narrow eye muscle and belongs to the group of six extraocular muscles or the orbit’s extrinsic muscles.

Literal meaning

The lower slanting muscle (of the eye).

Interesting information

Much the same as the other orbital muscles, the inferior oblique gets its name from its position in the orbit and relative to the eyeball. It sits in the orbit’s inferior region and surrounds the lower aspect of the eyeball.

Its main function is elevation and abduction of the eyeball, but like the other muscles it acts in coordination with the other muscles in the extraocular group to control eye movements, pupil position and the direction of gaze.

Origin

Orbital surface of maxilla.

Insertion

Inferolateral aspect of eyeball (deep to lateral rectus muscle).

Function

Abducts, elevates, externally rotates eyeball.

Nerve supply

Oculomotor nerve (CN III).

Blood supply

Ophthalmic artery, infraorbital artery.

Relevant research

A common presentation of strabismus (commonly known as cross eyed) is overaction in the inferior oblique muscle. This can be corrected through surgery by weakening this muscle, unilaterally or bilaterally.

Stager, D., Jr, Dao, L. M., & Felius, J. (2015). Uses of the Inferior Oblique Muscle in Strabismus Surgery. Middle East African journal of ophthalmology, 22(3), 292–297.

Inferior oblique exercises

None