What is "oculomotor nerve"

n. The third of twelve paired cranial nerves, which controls most of the eye's movements and constriction of the pupil and maintains an open eyelid.

n. supplies extrinsic muscles of the eye [syn: oculomotor, nervus oculomotorius, third cranial nerve]

The oculomotor nerve is the third cranial nerve. It enters the orbit via the superior orbital fissure and innervates muscles that enable most movements of the eye and that raise the eyelid. The nerve also contains fibers that innervate the muscles that enable pupillary constriction and accommodation (ability to focus on near objects as in reading). The oculomotor nerve is derived from the basal plate of the embryonic midbrain. Cranial nerves IV and VI also participate in control of eye movement.