Muscle · Head

Inferior oblique

Musculus obliquus inferior bulbi

The only eye muscle that does not start at the back of the socket. It arises from the floor of the orbit near the front, then runs backwards and outwards beneath the eyeball to wrap around and attach to the outer wall of the eye behind its widest point. Because it approaches from below and in front, pulling on it rolls the eye upward and outward and rotates it so the top of the eye tips away from the nose. It is the muscle that lifts the eye when you are already looking toward your nose — which is exactly how it is isolated when someone's eye movements are being examined.