check ligaments of medial and lateral rectus muscles

check ligaments of medial and lateral rectus muscles

expansions of the sheaths of the medial and lateral rectus muscles of the eyeball that are attached, respectively, to the lacrimal bone and to the orbital tubercle of the zygomatic bone; they serve individually to prevent overaction of the muscle from which they extend, and together to form a supporting hammocklike formation that suspends the eyeball in the orbit. Terminologia Anatomica recognizes only the check ligament of lateral rectus muscle. Synonym(s): check ligaments of eyeball, medial and lateral