This research was performed to investigate if the insertion site of the rectus muscle and the type of the insertion anatomically correspond for both eyes in Korean cadavers.

Thirty-four eyes from seventeen cadavers were anatomized for this research. We measured minimum distances from the insertion of each muscle to the tangential lines passing through the corneal limbus using a vernier caliper. Center, temporal, and nasal portions are used as an insertion for the vertical muscle, while center, upper, and lower portions are used as an insertion for the horizontal muscle. The average values of those minimum distances were compared for both eyes. Moreover, the type of the insertion of the rectus muscle is observed to determine whether it is identical for both eyes.

Anatomical data does not show a significant difference between the right and left eyes except for the distance from an insertion of the inferior and lateral rectus muscle to the corneal limbus. With regard to the morphologic type of the insertion, the most common types are oblique and nonspecific shapes in the vertical muscles, and straight and concave shapes in the horizontal muscles.

Although there was not a significant difference between the eyes, precautions should still be taken during eye operations due to possible anatomical differences between the eyes.