We move our eyes using a system of six muscles called extraocular muscles. These muscles are attached to the eyeball and are controlled by the brain. Each eye has three pairs of muscles: the lateral, medial, inferior, and superior recti muscles, and the inferior and superior oblique muscles. They work together to move the eye in different directions, allowing us to focus on various points in our field of vision.
For instance, the superior rectus muscle helps move the eye upwards, the inferior rectus muscle moves it downwards, the lateral rectus muscle moves it outwards, and the medial rectus muscle moves it inwards. The oblique muscles rotate the eye in different directions.
These coordinated movements are essential for tasks like reading, driving, and playing sports. The brain sends signals to the muscles, allowing us to focus on specific objects and track their movement. The muscles then contract and relax, moving the eyeballs precisely.
For example, when we read, our eyes make rapid saccades, jumping from one word to the next. This allows us to quickly scan text and extract meaning.
