Yoke muscle of right lateral rectus is
**Core Concept**
The yoke muscle is a concept in ophthalmology referring to the conjugate movement of extraocular muscles. It is essential to understand the yoke muscle mechanism to appreciate the coordinated movement of the eyes and maintain binocular vision. The yoke muscle of a lateral rectus muscle is its medial rectus muscle counterpart.
**Why the Correct Answer is Right**
The yoke muscle of the right lateral rectus is the left medial rectus muscle. This is because both muscles are involved in conjugate eye movements. When the right lateral rectus muscle contracts, it abducts the right eye (moves it away from the midline), and the left medial rectus muscle contracts to adduct the left eye (moves it towards the midline). This coordinated movement ensures that both eyes focus on the same object. The medial rectus muscle is innervated by the oculomotor nerve (CN III) and is responsible for adduction of the eye.
**Why Each Wrong Option is Incorrect**
**Option A:** There is no evidence that the inferior oblique muscle is the yoke muscle of the right lateral rectus muscle. The inferior oblique muscle is primarily involved in elevation and extorsion of the eye.
**Option B:** The superior rectus muscle is not the yoke muscle of the right lateral rectus muscle. The superior rectus muscle is primarily involved in elevation of the eye.
**Option D:** The inferior rectus muscle is not the yoke muscle of the right lateral rectus muscle. The inferior rectus muscle is primarily involved in depression of the eye.
**Clinical Pearl / High-Yield Fact**
It is essential to remember that the yoke muscle mechanism is crucial for maintaining binocular vision and conjugate eye movements. A defect in the yoke muscle mechanism can lead to strabismus (heterotropia) and amblyopia.
**Correct Answer:** C.