RESUMO
Objective To study the biomechanical effect from pulley tissues of extraocular muscles on super adduction of the eye. Methods By the coordinate parameters of extraocular muscles reported in the literature and based on the mechanical equilibrium of eye movement, two mechanical models, active pulley model and non pulley model (as control), were established to simulate eye adduction in the range of 30°-45°. Results For the contribution of medial rectus muscle, the non pulley model produced more force than the active pulley model to control eye adduction, and its corresponding force value increasingly exceeded the physiologically safe threshold (0.5 N). At the maximum simulative adduction of 45°, the force of medial rectus obtained by active pulley model and non pulley model was 0.508 N and 0.782 N, respectively, and the latter was 56% greater than the safe threshold. For controlling eye adduction, the active pulley model consumed much less energy than the non pulley model. Conclusions Due to the existence of pulley tissues, extraocular muscles could control eye adduction by consuming less biological energy and reinforce the ocular derivation. In addition, with the active pulley, the medial rectus muscle could maintain its mechanical advantage under super adduction of the eye.