Superior rectus

Superior rectus is one of the eyeball muscles.

Eye-diagram, see item 29

Anatomy

Superior rectus is part of the four rectus muscles, the others being inferior rectus, medial rectus and lateral rectus.

Origin

The four Recti arise from a fibrous ring called annulus tendineus communis which surrounds the upper, medial, and lower margins of the optic foramen and encircles the optic nerve

Orbit anatomy

Tendinous bridge

The ring is completed by a tendinous bridge prolonged over the lower and medial part of the superior orbital fissure and attached to a tubercle on the margin of the great wing of the sphenoid, bounding the fissure.

Tendons of Zinn and Lockwood

Two specialized parts of this fibrous ring may be made out: a lower, the ligament or tendon of Zinn, which gives origin to the Rectus inferior, part of the Rectus internus, and the lower head of origin of the Rectus lateralis; and an upper, which gives origin to the Rectus superior, the rest of the Rectus medialis, and the upper head of the Rectus lateralis. This upper band is sometimes termed the superior tendon of Lockwood.

Insertion

Each muscle passes forward in the position implied by its name, to be inserted by a tendinous expansion into the sclera, about 6 mm. from the margin of the cornea.

Trivia

Rectus superior the thinnest and narrowest of the rectus muscles.

Other names

Rectus superioris oculi, superior rectus muscle

Blood supply

Ophthalmic artery supplies the blood while ophthalmic vein drain the blood.

Nerve supply

Oculomotor nerve

Actions

Contraction of the superior rectus muscle turns the eyeball upward and medially.

Gallery

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  Eye movements elevators

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  The right eye in sagittal section, showing the fascia bulbi (semidiagrammatic).

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  Superior rectus muscle

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  Superior rectus muscle

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  Extrinsic eye muscle. Nerves of orbita. Deep dissection.

Superior rectus Resources
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