Okay, let's tackle this question. The question is about the muscles responsible for the abduction of the eyeballs. So, first, I need to recall which eye muscles are involved in moving the eye laterally.

The extraocular muscles include the four rectus muscles (superior, inferior, medial, and lateral) and the two oblique muscles (superior and inferior). The lateral rectus is known for abducting the eye, which means moving it away from the midline. On the other hand, the medial rectus is responsible for adduction, bringing the eye towards the nose.

Wait, but I should make sure there's no confusion with the oblique muscles. The superior oblique is involved in depression and intorsion, while the inferior oblique does elevation and extorsion. So those aren't involved in abduction. The lateral rectus is definitely the main muscle for abduction. Let me double-check that. Yes, the lateral rectus is innervated by the abducens nerve (CN VI), which makes sense because the name "abducens" refers to abducting the eye. That's a key point.

Now, the options are A, B, C, D, but the original question didn't list them, but the correct answer is supposed to be the lateral rectus. The user probably expects the correct answer to be the lateral rectus. So, the core concept here is the action of the lateral rectus muscle in eye abduction. The other muscles like medial rectus would be incorrect because they do the opposite. The obliques aren't involved in abduction. So the correct answer is the lateral rectus, innervated by CN VI. The clinical pearl here is remembering that abducens nerve palsy leads to medial deviation of the eye because the lateral rectus isn't working, so the medial rectus pulls it in. That's a common exam point.

**Core Concept**
Abduction of the eyeball is primarily mediated by the **lateral rectus muscle**, one of the six extraocular muscles. This action is controlled by the **abducens nerve (cranial nerve VI)**, which directly innervates the lateral rectus.

**Why the Correct Answer is Right**
The lateral rectus muscle is responsible for moving the eye **laterally (abduction)**. It originates from the lateral aspect of the superior orbital fissure and inserts into the lateral surface of the eyeball. When activated, it pulls the eye away from the midline. The abducens nerve (CN VI) provides motor innervation to this muscle, making it critical for horizontal gaze. Dysfunction of this nerve results in impaired abduction, leading to medial deviation of the eye.

**Why Each Wrong Option is Incorrect**
**Option A:** *Medial rectus*—This muscle is responsible for **adduction** (moving the eye toward the nose), not abduction.
**Option B:** *Superior rectus*—This muscle primarily elevates the eye and assists in adduction and intorsion.
**Option C:** *Superior oblique*—This muscle depresses, abducts, and intorts the eye but is not the primary abductor.
**Option D:** *Inferior oblique*—This muscle elevates, abducts, and extorts the eye but is not the primary abductor.

**Clinical Pearl /

✓ Correct Answer: A. Lateral rectus, superior oblique and the inferior oblique