Eye Muscle Surgery Page 19 Pediatric Eye Care amblyopia strabismus and orthoptics
Many patients with eye deviations will eventually need an operation to align the eyes. The goals of surgery are twofold. The first is to change the present eye alignment in such a way as to enable the brain to use both eyes together. This may reestablish binocular function. the second is to imporive the appearance so that the eyes look straight and move together. The chances of achieving these goals are influenced by the size and complexity of the eye deviation, the age of onset, types of previous treatment, quality of binocular function (depth perception) and the compliance with pre-pre and post-operative theraphy.
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Page 20 Pediatric Eye Care: How the eye muscles work
Eye muscle surgery involves either weakening or strngthening the muscles that control eye movements.There are six muscles that attach to the outside surface of the eyeball and control the movement of each eye. Four of these are called rectus muscles and their function is very straightforward.
The superior muscle attaches to the top of the eye and pulls the eye up.
The inferior rectus is attached to the bottom of the eye and pulls the eye down. The medial rectus attaches to the side of the eye closest to the nose and pulls the eye in. the lateral rectus attaches to the outside of the eye closest to the ear and pulls the eye out.