Question

A child has both eyes that drift in towards the nose. A physician suggests cutting an eye muscle to bring the eyes into a more normal position. Which muscle would be cut?

a) lateral rectus

b) inferior rectus

c) superior oblique

d) superior rectus

e) medial rectus

Answer 1

Two extraocular muscles, the medial rectus and lateral rectus, work together to control horizontal eye movements.

Contraction of the medial rectus pulls the eye towards the nose (adduction or medial movement) whereas contraction of the lateral rectus pulls the eye away from the nose (abduction or lateral movement).

A child has both eyes that drift in towards the nose. This suggests that his/her lateral rectus muscle is damaged.

Hence, to compensate for this damage, the physician would suggest cutting of medial rectus muscle.