Ciliary (ciliary) muscle. Ciliary muscle of the eye Ciliary muscle of the eye

The ciliary muscle is a pair of eye muscles located inside the eyeball and providing accommodation.

The ciliary muscle consists of several types of smooth muscle fibers:

1. Meridional fibers that form the Brücke muscle adjacent to the sclera. It attaches to the inside of the limbus and is partially woven into the trabecular meshwork. When these fibers contract, the ciliary muscle moves forward. The Brücke muscle is involved in focusing on objects that are located at a distance, as well as in the process of disaccommodation. Due to this process, the projection of rays on the retina becomes possible when turning the head, driving and other rapid movements in space. Also, with the contraction of muscle fibers, the rate of exchange of aqueous fluid through the Schlemm canal changes.
2. Radial fibers are called Ivanov's muscles. It branches off from the scleral spur and follows the direction of the ciliary processes. Due to this, it provides the process of disaccommodation.
3. Fibers arranged circularly are called Müller's muscles. It is located on the inside of the ciliary muscle. With the contraction of the fibers, the internal space narrows. In this regard, the tension of the zinn ligament is weakened, as a result of which the lens acquires a more spherical shape. Such a transformation of the lens leads to a change in optical power, that is, the focus shifts to closer objects. With age, changes occur that lead to a weakening of accommodation. However, this is due to a violation of the elasticity of the lens, and not to the functional ability of the muscle.

The ciliary muscle is supplied with blood by four arteries that branch off from the artery of the eye. Venous outflow is carried out through the ciliary veins, which are located in front.

With a prolonged load on the muscle (reading, computer), it begins to convulsively contract, which leads to a spasm of accommodation. Such a spasm is accompanied by false myopia and other visual impairments. With a long course of accommodation spasm can develop into true myopia. To prevent this condition, it is necessary to perform special gymnastics, which helps to train the muscle, and also prescribe magnetotherapy, electrophoresis. In some cases, traumatic damage to the ciliary muscle occurs, which leads to absolute paralysis of accommodation. You can get qualified advice on this issue in our

This wonderful idea will help you maintain your eyesight. We promise that you will feel the effect immediately!

Causes of visual impairment

There are 2 theories why a person's eyesight deteriorates. In my opinion and in my experience, both of them are true.

Eye lens and ciliary muscles

First, let's take a look at why vision deteriorates:

Myopia is corrected with a biconcave (reducing) lens.

Farsightedness - corrected with magnifying lenses

Briefly about the reasons: loss of elasticity of the lens, spasm or "insufficiency" of the ciliary muscle - a muscle that changes the curvature of the lens.

Supporting muscles of the eye: lateral, medial and others

Pictured right eye

We will not describe in detail how and which eye muscles work - this can be easily understood by looking at the picture. I want to say only one thing: due to the uneven load on the muscles, some of them spasm, and either change the shape of the eyeball (and then even with the normal operation of the lens and ciliary muscles, the same picture is obtained as in the images above), or they simply “lead the eye to the side "- when you look at the monitor screen, both your eyes look at one closely located point, and therefore only the muscle (medial) that turns / bevels the eye, so to speak, closer to the bridge of the nose works. When you look into the distance, both eyes look straight ahead. So when you try to look into the distance after a long work at the computer, your eyes cannot look exactly straight due to a spasm of the medial muscle.

The method itself

A plate with pairs of balls, a number is written on each of the balls.

How to use

Download and print for viewing. There are 3 files in the archive. One table is immediately ready for printing (table_done.doc), in the other (table.doc) - a macro, by changing the parameters of which you can change the appearance of the table for certain needs (more details) and the third (table_done.pdf) - pdf (very convenient use on a tablet). Print it out and hang it on the wall at eye level. Stand at a distance of about 30 cm from her and try to combine pairs of balls into one ball. In other words, each eye should look at a separate ball. The principle is the same as in these pictures.
As soon as you managed to combine the top pair into one ball, go down below. So try to go down as low as you can. With each new step down, relax the muscles of the lens, making the image blurry like a “gaussian” (to achieve this effect, look as if through a leaf into the distance), but not disconnected.

So go up and down a few times. Lately I have been using this tablet on my tablet - very convenient and always at hand. The only thing - I reduce the brightness of the screen to a minimum.

Some clarifications and notes

There is a well-known exercise of changing the focus of vision, when you look at a point on the window, and then look at a point somewhere far away. Here is the principle, BUT! If you go down to the lowest pair of balls, your eyes will literally open to the sides, relaxing the medial, and exercising the lateral muscle. In addition, due to the same force relaxation, the ciliary muscle of the lens also reflexively relaxes.

About the macro and its parameters. I assumed that if the balls increase or decrease with each new step, then it will be more effective for nearsighted or farsighted people, but it was not possible to test my hypothesis - there are no people who want to exercise regularly. Try! Perhaps it will be possible to correct the damaged vision. It definitely won’t get worse (it’s been tested for 3 years on myself - I never wore glasses, my eyesight is excellent, I sit at the computer for days on end for hours)

And finally, additionally fast blinking for a minute, and circular eye movements will also be useful. All!

Due to the fact that it turns out there is also a “cross-view”. The picture clearly illustrates. In order to understand how you look, you need to combine any pair of balls into one and close your left eye. If you look at the right ball with your right, then you are doing everything right, if you look at the left, then your “technique” is wrong! The right eye should look at the right ball, the left eye at the left

It is better for people with congenital myopia not to be zealous. Try, but don't overdo it. Congenital myopia or farsightedness is either a curved shape of the eyeball initially, or something with the lens (shape, elasticity). If congenital poor vision has worsened over the years, then it could be partly due to muscle spasm, then this technique may help somewhat.

The human eye adapts and equally clearly sees objects that are at different distances from the person. This process is provided by the ciliary muscle responsible for the focus of the organ of vision.

According to Hermann Helmholtz, the anatomical structure under consideration at the moment of tension increases the curvature of the eye lens - the organ of vision focuses on the retina the image of objects near. When the muscle relaxes, the eye is able to focus the image of distant objects.

What is a ciliary muscle?

- a paired organ of a muscular structure, which is located inside the organ of vision. This is the main component of the ciliary body, which is responsible for the accommodation of the eye. The anatomical location of the element is the area around the eye lens.

Structure

Muscles are made up of three types of fibers:

• meridional (Brukke muscle). Adjacent tightly to, connected to the inside of the limbus, woven into the trabecular meshwork. When the fibers contract, the structural element in question moves forward;
• radial (Ivanov's muscle). The place of origin is the scleral spur. From here, the fibers are sent to the ciliary processes;
• circular (Muller muscle). The fibers are placed within the considered anatomical structure.

Functions

The functions of the structural unit are assigned to the fibers included in its composition. So, the Brücke muscle is responsible for disaccommodation. The same function is assigned to the radial fibers. Muller's muscle performs the reverse process - accommodation.

Symptoms

With ailments affecting the structural unit in question, the patient complains of the following phenomena:

• decreased visual acuity;
• increased fatigue of the organs of vision;
• periodic pain in the eyes;
• burning, cutting;
• redness of the mucous membrane;
• dry eye syndrome;
• dizziness.

The ciliary muscle suffers as a result of regular eye strain (with a long stay at the monitor, reading in the dark, etc.). Under such circumstances, accommodation syndrome (false myopia) most often develops.

Diagnostics

Diagnostic measures in the case of local ailments are reduced to an external examination and a hardware technique.

In addition, the doctor determines the visual acuity of the patient at the current time. The procedure is carried out using corrective glasses. As additional measures, the patient is shown an examination by a therapist and a neurologist.

Upon completion of the diagnostic measures, the ophthalmologist makes a diagnosis and plans a therapeutic course.

Treatment

When the lens muscles for some reason cease to perform their main functions, specialists begin to carry out complex treatment.

A conservative therapeutic course includes the use of medications, hardware methods and special therapeutic exercises for the eyes.

As part of drug therapy, ophthalmic drops are prescribed to relax the muscles (with eye spasm). In parallel, it is recommended to take special vitamin complexes for the organs of vision and the use of eye drops to moisturize the mucosa.

The patient can be helped by an independent massage of the cervical region. It will provide blood flow to the brain, stimulate the circulatory system.

As part of the hardware technique, the following is carried out:

• electrical stimulation of the apple of the organ of vision;
• laser treatment at the cellular-molecular level (stimulation of biochemical and biophysical phenomena in the body is carried out - the work of the muscle fibers of the eye returns to normal).

Gymnastic exercises for the organs of vision are selected by an ophthalmologist and performed daily for 10-15 minutes. In addition to the therapeutic effect, regular exercise is one of the preventive measures for eye diseases.

Thus, the considered anatomical structure of the organ of vision acts as the base of the ciliary body, is responsible for the accommodation of the eye and has a fairly simple structure.

Its functional ability is threatened with regular visual loads - in this case, the patient is shown a comprehensive therapeutic course.

Musculus ciliaris eye () also known as the ciliary muscle is a paired muscular organ located inside the eye. This muscle is responsible for the accommodation of the eye. ciliary muscle of the eye is the main part of the ciliary body. Anatomically, the muscle is located around the lens of the eye. This muscle is of neural origin. The muscle originates at the equatorial part of the eye from the pigment tissue of the suprachoroid in the form of muscle stars, approaching the posterior edge of the muscle, their number increases, in the end, they merge and loops form, which serve as the beginning of the ciliary muscle itself, this happens in the so-called jagged edge of the retina.

The structure of the ciliary muscle of the eye

The structure of the muscle is represented by smooth muscle fibers. There are several types of smooth fibers that form the ciliary muscle: meridional fibers, radial fibers, circular fibers.

Meridian fibers or Brücke muscles are adjacent to the sclera of the eye, these fibers are attached to the inner part of the limbus, some of them are woven into the trabecular meshwork. At the moment of contraction, the meridional fibers move the ciliary muscle forward. These fibers are involved in focusing the eye on objects located in the distance, as well as in the process of disaccommodation. Due to the process of disaccommodation, a clear projection of the object on the retina is provided at the moment of turning the head in different directions, at the moment of driving, running, etc. In addition to all this, the process of contraction and relaxation of the fibers changes the outflow of aqueous humor into the Helmet's canal.

Radial fibers known as Ivanov's muscles originate from the scleral spur and move towards the ciliary processes. As well as the Brücke muscles take part in the process of disaccommodation.

Circular fibers or Müller's muscle, their anatomical location is in the inner part of the ciliary (ciliary) muscle. At the moment of contraction of these fibers, the internal space narrows, this leads to a weakening of the tension of the fibers of the zinn ligament, which leads to a change in the shape of the lens, it takes a spherical shape, which in turn leads to a change in the curvature of the lens. The changed curvature of the lens changes its optical power, which allows you to view objects at close range. Age-related changes lead to a decrease in the elasticity of the lens, which contributes to a decrease in the accommodation of the eye.

innervation

Two types of fibers: radial and circular receive parasympathetic innervation as part of short ciliary branches from the ciliary node. Parasympathetic fibers take their origin from the additional nucleus of the oculomotor nerve and already as part of the root of the oculomotor nerve enter the ciliary node.

The meridional fibers receive sympathetic innervation from the plexus located around the carotid artery.

The ciliary plexus, which is formed by the long and short branches of the ciliary body, is responsible for sensory innervation.

blood supply

The muscle is supplied with blood by the branches of the artery of the eye, namely the four anterior ciliary arteries. The outflow of venous blood occurs due to the anterior ciliary veins.

Finally

long ciliary muscle tension, which can occur during prolonged reading or working at a computer, is a factor contributing to the development of accommodation spasm. Such a pathological condition as a spasm of accommodation is the cause of decreased vision and the development of false myopia, which eventually turns into true myopia. Paralysis of the ciliary muscle can occur due to damage to the muscle.

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interviewer

Why can't the ciliary muscles of the human eye relax like other muscles?

I had laser eye surgery ten years ago, but in recent years my vision has become significantly myopic. I consulted with an ophthalmologist to find out if it was eye fatigue because I work a lot on computers, or part of a natural deterioration of vision over time, or both. My ophthalmologist seems to think that in my case I am quite young, that there is minimal natural degradation with age, and that my main problem is eye strain. She believes that I can regain vision to about 90% of my ability to see after surgery if I can reduce eye strain. She gave me some eye drops to help with the dryness and recommended various ways to help my eyes heal.

I decided to take a look at eye strain to learn more about what conditions cause it and what can relieve it. I learned that the lens of the eye needs to be flatter to accommodate distant objects, and rounded to focus on near objects. The lens becomes flat due to the use of a springy connective tissue called choroid, which pulls it. Attached to these vascular membranes are muscles called ciliary muscles, which stretch the vascular membranes during contraction. This action causes the choroids to stop pulling on the lens and the lens returns to a more rounded shape. So, when the ciliary muscles are relaxed, you can see far. When the ciliary muscles are contracted, you can see a close-up. This diagram from the University of York website was the clearest explanation I came across:

So the reason for my current inability to focus on distant objects is that focusing so much on close objects, mostly on computer monitors, strains my eyes. In order to regain the ability to focus on distant objects, I need to reduce the load and allow the muscles to relax. If they relax, the choroid can draw the eye into a flatter shape, necessary to see far away.

However, I cannot reconcile this model with how I understand the mechanics of other muscles in my body. If I go to the gym and run or lift weights or work my muscles in any way, they respond by getting stronger without sacrificing the ability to stop contracting. The muscles in my body never lose their ability to relax no matter how much I exercise them. I have never heard of anyone who worked too hard or too long for their biceps to remain in a state of permanent contraction.

In fact, in my experience, after a hard workout impossible prevent my muscles from relaxing and resisting doing more work. When I do biceps in the gym and do it to the point where I can no longer lift the weight, my muscles give up and I drop the weight. Similarly, if I have spent a long time looking at close objects, shouldn't my ciliary muscles give up, allowing the choroid to be captured, making clear distance vision the inevitable result?

The idea that my ciliary muscles have to relax in order to see far away also contradicts my personal anecdotal experience. Sometimes I can see far away, but I can't hold it for more than a few seconds. If I try to focus on distant objects for too long, I get an unpleasant feeling in my eyes that is hard to describe, but it is a form of pain that makes me give up. My vision becomes blurred and I can only see close objects again. If my biceps worked the same way, it would hurt if my arm was hanging straight with a load, and the only way to relieve it is to lift the weight, which makes no sense. I feel like it's an effort to see far away, and when I'm tired I can only see up close.

It's not that I think that in all eye medical research it's backwards, there must be some aspect of it that I don't see (pun intended).

How can it be that the ciliary muscles, unlike other muscles, lose their ability to relax?

Why are my ciliary muscles not exhausted and allow me to conquer the choroid?

super best

As far as focusing on distant objects - maybe it's not related to distance? I would suggest that you would "look" at objects with intense concentration rather than looking at random, and would probably blink less and move your gaze less, tiring the retina.

Answers

Ilan

First of all, I must correct some points that have been misunderstood. Don't change the question because it will lead to confusion.

"The way the lens flattens out is the use of a springy connective tissue called the choroid that pulls on it."

In classical ophthalmology, you don't have to think of the choroid in direct relation to accommodation: the choroid is the spongy layer between the sclera and the retina and is usually made up of blood vessels. The anterior portion of the choroid continues anteriorly and becomes the ciliary body, which in turn contains the ciliary muscle, one circular muscle per eye. From the ciliary body/muscle, zonules (zonules fibers) spread and they are fixed on the lens equator.

Physiology: contraction ciliary muscle leads to the fact that zonules become loose and "release" the lens, become more prominent and move the focus forward ( no choroid contraction). If the ciliary muscle relaxes, the zonules contract and consequently the lens becomes flatter (less convex), moving the focus back. In other words, you can tell it in terms of depth of focus - a convex lens gives less depth, a less convex lens gives more depth of focus.

So the classical layer of the choroid does nothing (look at the link linked to the choroid - there is almost nothing in accommodation).

A "permanent state of contraction" can be either physiological (= normal) or abnormal, and is very common in some conditions (muscle spasms). One example is priapism, where bodily contraction of smooth muscles causes a permanent and dangerous penile erection, which can be a medical emergency (priapism is much more complicated, so take the explanation as a metaphor).

If we refer to "accommodative spasm", then there is an analogy with "muscle spasm" (and partly with priapism), but I must say that we believe that ciliary muscle spasm exists - since we do not see it directly. Probably (and take this suggestion as a guess, as I can't give you a link right now) the reason for this is not the muscle spasm itself, but the condition of the zonal fibers that cannot return to their base state. I like the iron bar example - if you cut it quickly and many times, at some point it can be "weakened" as well as broken (and it will probably happen with zonula too). Probably (I say "probably" to emphasize that we do not know this for sure), "accommodation spasm" is partly a misnomer, and future investigation will clarify this.

You might learn some interesting facts from the definition of "pseudo-exfoliation" syndrome, but I won't explain it here because it's not directly related to the question. From the wiki "this is known to cause a weakening of the structures within the eye that help hold the lens of the eye in place, called the zonules lens."

Another example of an analogy for an ongoing "spasm" is when you have to take care of something heavy at a great distance without loosening your grip - finally, you can get not only a spastic contraction, but also serious ischemic damage to the fingers.

Considering your case, you should be aware of pathological (degenerative) myopia, where the eye expands posteriorly and therefore the focus is in front of the retina, which must be corrected with minus lenses. It is well known that myopic eyes have a longer axial length than normal eyes. Perhaps this is your case.

So, as you can see, the answer to your question is not a clear one, but a guess. The ciliary muscle can relax, but the problem is probably more complex than a problem with the ciliary muscle alone.

PS The image you posted is a bit confusing and not accurate. It is classic and gives a better understanding of anatomy -

Aidan

I'm not an eye doctor, but I do workouts. I would like to say something about your metaphor or comparison of the ciliary muscle with the muscles of the body.

Let's look at the workouts. During a workout, you tense your muscles, then repeatedly relax your muscles until you exhaust the muscles. The other part of the exercise is stretching. If you don't pull, you will lose your entire range of motion. For example, if I were to do half bicep curls for the first time and I slept with my arm up that night, it would be a painful effort to straighten it out the next day. If I don't extend it, my arm will remain in this position with limited movement. The muscle is relaxed, but its range has changed. Another example would be when I was a teenager I did karate and could do splits. Currently I can't do splits no matter how relaxed my muscles are.

Staring at a computer all day is not the same as exercising your muscles because you don't contract or relax. You are only a contract.

Now let's look at the muscles of the body in a more relevant metaphor - tension. Tension is an involuntary response. Because you keep the muscle in contraction for such a long time, it tends to stay contracted without any effort. Many people experience tension in the neck and shoulders, and no matter how much pain it causes them, they cannot relax voluntarily.

Muscles have their own intelligence (muscle memory). Assuming you have complete control over them is wishful thinking. I'm assuming the ciliary muscle is no different.

Chris ♦

One person

There are a few more things to consider in order to better understand the physiology.

Ciliary muscles are not skeletal muscles (voluntary muscles that you can control), but smooth muscles (involuntary muscles that are under the control of the autonomic nervous system, which is self-regulated by parts of the brain not under conscious control). This has several profound implications.

Smooth muscles do not have hypertrophy - grow and become thick like skeletal muscles - they are more or less permanent and their growth/strengthening is more related to hormones than regular contraction/relaxation exercises

Smooth muscles are supplied by the autonomic nervous system - the main source is the parasympathetic system. Evidence of sympathetic innervation of the ciliary muscles has recently been found.

Typically, there is a balance between sympathetic and parasympathetic, which is determined by the needs that the brain perceives. Imbalances in these systems can cause placement problems

1. This view is a speculation based on proven biological laws: The Stress-Stress Law: it says that if under constant stress, biological systems grow.

Gradual traction on living tissues creates stress that can stimulate and support the regeneration and growth of certain tissues. Slow, steady tension of tissues leads to their metabolic activation, which leads to an increase in their proliferative and biosynthetic functions. These processes depend on two main factors:

1. Quantity and quality of blood supply to tissue subjected to mechanical stress and
2. The stimulating effect of tensile forces acting along the lines of muscle contraction, since the collagen fibers are usually aligned parallel to the stress-strain vector.