Muscles of the eye
The human eyes are surrounded by six ocular muscles: four straight (upper and lower, lateral and medial) and two oblique (upper and lower).
All eye muscles, except for the lower oblique, start from the tendon ring located in the thickness of the orbit and diverge anteriorly, forming a cone-shaped muscle funnel. All eye muscles, except for the superior oblique, are attached directly to the sclera.
The superior oblique eye muscle is directed forward to the cartilage block. At the block, it turns into a tendon and, passing through the loop of the block, abruptly changes the direction of movement. Under the superior rectus muscle, it penetrates into the sclera of the eyeball behind the equator.
The inferior oblique eye muscle starts from the inner wall of the orbit and, bending around the eyeball, connects to the sclera behind the equator.
The superior oblique eye muscle is innervated by the trochlear nerve, the external rectus eye muscle is innervated by the abducens nerve, and all other muscles are innervated by the oculomotor nerve.
The outer muscles of the eye are placed in this order (ascending): the lower oblique eye muscle (thinnest), then the upper oblique, upper straight, lower straight, outer straight and inner straight - the most powerful muscle.
Function of the muscles of the eye
According to their action, the eye muscles are divided into the following groups:
- levator muscles (lower oblique and upper straight);
- abductor muscles (oblique and external straight);
- adductor muscles (lower and internal, upper straight);
- lowering muscles (upper oblique and lower straight).
Like skeletal muscle, the muscles of the eye can contract without shortening (isometric contraction) or with shortening (isotonic contraction).
Due to isotonic contraction of the external rectus muscle, the eyeball turns outward. The internal rectus muscle turns the eyeball inward. The lower rectus muscle rotates the eyeball downward, and the upper rectus muscle upward. The inferior oblique muscle pivots the eyeball up and out, and the superior oblique muscle down and out.
During rapid eye movements, the eye muscles contract with a force of 0.11-0.13 kg. When the eyeball is rotated forty degrees, the muscle contracts with a force of 0.045 kg.
Reasons why eye muscles hurt
A common reason why the muscles of the eyes hurt is their overwork. In addition, eye pain can occur due to scratching of the eye surface with contact lenses or due to the use of incorrectly fitted glasses. Sometimes eye muscles hurt as a result of overexertion of the facial muscles.
In addition, eye pain can be directly related to the eye diseases themselves - uveitis, conjunctivitis and others. In this case, the pain is often accompanied by general malaise (nausea, headache) and visual impairment.
Eye muscle training
The most effective remedy for strengthening the muscles of the eyes is general strengthening exercises in combination with special exercises for the muscles of the eyes.
At home, training sessions are recommended to include breathing exercises, walking, arm movements, exercises for the shoulder girdle, exercises for the muscles of the eyes, exercises for the muscles of the legs and trunk, self-massage of the neck and eyes, and relaxation exercises.
Eye muscle training should include exercises for the outer and inner eye muscles.
External eye muscle training:
- in a sitting position, slowly look from the ceiling to the floor and back, then from left to right and back (repeat 10-13 times);
- rotate the eyes in different directions (repeat 4-7 times), as well as frequent blinking for 15-20 seconds.
Internal eye muscle training:
- on the window pane, attach a round mark at eye level with a diameter of 4-5 mm at a distance of 30 cm from the eyes;
- look first at the mark, then at any distant object outside the window.
Exercises to strengthen the muscles of the eyes should be done twice a day. In the first two days - for three to four minutes, on the third and fourth - five minutes, on the following days - ten minutes.
For the prevention and treatment of myopia (myopia), the American ophthalmologist W. Bates proposed a set of exercises for each type of visual impairment separately, as well as basic exercises that are effective for eye fatigue and for any visual impairment.
Bates believed that glasses, by improving vision, impair the blood supply to the eyes and increase visual impairment and eye strain.
Bates gymnastics includes the passive relaxation method (mental representation, palming), the dynamic relaxation method (solarization, breathing and blinking), the central fixation method (analytical gazing, glancing, swinging and moving, reading small print, swinging).
Methods of restoration of vision Norbekov and Zhdanov, slightly supplementing and modifying, copy the method of ophthalmologist W. Bates.
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