superior oblique muscle    n. A muscle with origin above the medial margin of the optic canal, with insertion by a tendon passing through the trochlea to the sclera between the superior rectus and lateral rectus muscles, with nerve supply from the trochlear nerve, and whose action directs the pupil of the eye downward and outward.     "superior oblique muscle." The American Heritage Stedman's Medical Dictionary. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2002. Answers.com GuruNet Corp. 07 Jul. 2005. http://www.answers.com/topic/superior-oblique-muscle superior oblique muscle   The superior oblique muscle is a muscle in the orbit that causes the eye to look downwards when it is already directed medially (looking towards the nose).  It is the only muscle supplied by the trochlear nerve. The superior oblique loops through a pulley like structure (the trochlea) to get the desired movement.     "superior oblique muscle." Wikipedia. Wikipedia, 2005. Answers.com GuruNet Corp. 07 Jul. 2005. http://www.answers.com/topic/superior-oblique-muscle  Here are SOM related links to abstracts, articles and other citations of material that are informative. Please share these references with your doctor.  It is important to note that these resources are here only because the sources have been generous in giving us permission to link to the information.  Many resources do not allow us to link directly to the document, but permit a link to their main/home page.  In those cases, instructions will accompany the link information.  For those of us with dial-up connections, this can certainly be more work, but it cannot be avoided. Alternative Treatments Chiropractic The difficulty that I am encountering with chiropractic citations for here is that most of them, nearly all, are anecdotal reports from patients or practitioners.  Interesting, but not the kind of documentation that we need here.  Kel knows that it helps her, but she doesn't know why or how what her chiropractor does has an effect on her symptoms.  Her chiropractor feels that it works for her, but cannot explain why the techniques work for her.  There are some good ideas from both of them, but they are anecdotal and there isn't any documentation or trials or studies or anything to back up their opinions about this.  There are no abstracts to be found about the use of chiropractic treatments and SOM. Here are a few abstracts that I have found that concerning chiropractic treatment for other visual issues.  I guess that is going to have to be enough for now. Visual Recovery Following Chiropractic Intervention Dynamic Chiropractic, via ChiroWeb.com May 23, 1990, Volume 8, Issue 11 Greg Gilman, OD John Bergstrand DC This is easily the best information that I have been able to find, to date, regarding chiropractic treatment for vision issues.  Please go 2/3 down the page to Discussion and read what Mabel Palmer has to say about this issue. http://www.chiroweb.com/archives/08/11/13.html Symptomatic Arnold-Chiari Malformation and Cranial Nerve Dysfunction: A case study of applied kinesiology cranial evaluation and treatment Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics May 2005, Volume 28, Issue 4, Pages 289.e1-289.e6 Scott Cuthbert DC Charles Blum DC Arnold-Chiari Malformation (ACM) http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6WK1-4G3Y97 1-K&_user=6765422&_coverDate=05%2F31%2F2005&_alid=706313573&_ rdoc=1&_fmt=summary&_ orig=search&_cdi=6893&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_ct=5&_ acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=6765422& md5=6141387ab5ce0bee24cc50660756963c#hit3 Bilateral simultaneous optic nerve dysfunction after pariorbital trauma: Recovery of vision in association with chiropractic spinal manipulation therapy Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Theraputics November/December 1999, Volume 22, Issue 8, Pages 615-621 Optic nerve problem. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_ udi=B6WK1-4HGNR26-9&_user=6765422&_ coverDate=12%2F31%2F1999&_ alid=706313573&_rdoc=5&_fmt=summary&_ orig=search&_cdi=6893&_sort=d&_docanchor= &view=c&_ct=5&_acct=C000050221&_ version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=6765422&md5= 70d6c55251178fec434d33edbb7de28d