American Board of Ophthalmology (ABO) Practice Exam

How many muscles control the movement of the eye?

1. 4

2. 5

3. 6

4. 7

The correct answer is: 6

The movement of the eye is controlled by six extraocular muscles. These muscles are responsible for coordinating eye movements and allowing the eye to look in different directions. The six muscles include the superior rectus, inferior rectus, medial rectus, lateral rectus, superior oblique, and inferior oblique. Understanding the function of these muscles is crucial in ophthalmology, as their proper alignment and strength are necessary for normal binocular vision. Any dysfunction in one or more of these muscles can lead to ocular misalignment and conditions such as strabismus. This highlights the importance of all six muscles in the complex system that governs eye movement, making the answer of six muscles the only correct choice.