What is the secondary action of the inferior oblique?

Prepare for the NBEO Ocular Motility Test. Practice with questions and explanations to enhance your understanding. Get ready for your exam easily!

Multiple Choice

What is the secondary action of the inferior oblique?

Explanation:
The inferior oblique has three actions: it elevates the eye, it extorts the eye (outward rotation), and it abducts the eye (moves it outward). In the usual hierarchy, its primary action is elevation when the eye is adducted, with extorsion as a secondary action and abduction as a tertiary action. Depression is carried by the inferior rectus, and adduction is mainly from the medial rectus, so they don’t reflect the inferior oblique’s typical actions. Among the listed choices, elevation best represents the muscle’s action pattern that fits its role, which is why it’s the correct option for this item.

The inferior oblique has three actions: it elevates the eye, it extorts the eye (outward rotation), and it abducts the eye (moves it outward). In the usual hierarchy, its primary action is elevation when the eye is adducted, with extorsion as a secondary action and abduction as a tertiary action. Depression is carried by the inferior rectus, and adduction is mainly from the medial rectus, so they don’t reflect the inferior oblique’s typical actions. Among the listed choices, elevation best represents the muscle’s action pattern that fits its role, which is why it’s the correct option for this item.

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