We constantly direct our eyes to the object of interest with the help of the extraocular muscles, andthereby use foveal fixation to attain the best possible visual acuity. The muscles around the eye arerather different from other skeletal muscles, being, for example, simultaneously the fastest musclesin the body and impossible to exhaust. The most exciting property of the extraocular muscles is theirunique response to disease, as they often remain unaffected in muscle conditions which lead tosevere handicap and premature death. Understanding the coping strategies that allow the extraocularmuscles to remain unaffected may provide clues for the future treatment of severe diseases such asmuscle dystrophies.