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ciliary muscle

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ciliary muscle

–noun Anatomy.
the smooth muscle in the ciliary body, the action of which affects the accommodation of the eye.


Origin:
1875–80
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: ciliary muscle
Function: noun
: a circular band of smooth muscle fibers situated in the ciliary body and serving as the chief agent in accommodation when itcontracts by drawing the ciliary processes centripetally and relaxing the suspensory ligament of the lens so that the lens is permitted to become more convex
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

ciliary muscle n.
A smooth muscle of the ciliary body of the eye, consisting of circular fibers and radiating fibers, and whose action changes the shape of lens in the process of accommodation.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Encyclopedia

ciliary muscle

muscle of the ciliary body of the eye, between the sclera (white of the eye) and the fine ligaments that suspend the lens. It is composed of both longitudinal and circular fibres and serves to change the shape of the lens, enabling the eye to focus upon near or distant objects.

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Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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