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What muscle closes the eye?

Published in Anatomy 1 min read

The orbicularis oculi muscle is the primary muscle responsible for closing the eyelids. This muscle circles the eye and is located just under the skin. It is connected to the lacrimal pump mechanism, which helps drain tears from the eye. When the orbicularis oculi contracts, it compresses the canaliculi, the small channels that drain tears from the eye's surface to the lacrimal sac. This action helps to move tears towards the nasolacrimal duct, where they are then drained into the nasal cavity.

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