Musculus rectus ventralis
Rotates the eyeball ventrally (downward gaze). One of the four rectus extraocular muscles.
Origin: Common tendinous ring around the optic foramen
Insertion: Ventral sclera of the eyeball
Action: Rotates the eyeball ventrally (looks down)
Innervation: Oculomotor nerve (CN III)
Since CN III innervates the dorsal, ventral, and medial rectus plus the ventral oblique and levator palpebrae, complete CN III paralysis is devastating to eye function.
Since CN III innervates the dorsal, ventral, and medial rectus plus the ventral oblique and levator palpebrae, complete CN III paralysis is devastating to eye function. Signs include: Eye deviated laterally; fixed dilated pupil; drooping eyelid; inability to look up, down, or medially; only lateral gaze and intorsion preserved (CN IV and CN VI intact).
See the Ventral Rectus (Inferior Rectus) on our interactive 3D horse model. Open 3D Model