How the Body Works: The Six Ocular Muscles

The six external ocular muscles rotate the eyeball. The lateral rectus muscle moves the eyeball away from the midline of the body. The midial rectus moves the eyeball toward the midline of the body. The superior rectus moves the eyeball upward. The inferior rectus moves the eyeball downward. The superior oblique muscle moves the eye downward and outward, and the inferior oblique moves it upward and outward.