Final answer:
The three cranial nerves responsible for eyeball movement are the oculomotor, trochlear, and abducens nerves. They control the extraocular muscles that move the eyes, with the brain stem coordinating these movements for effective visual tracking.
Step-by-step explanation:
The three cranial nerves involved in eyeball movement are the oculomotor nerve, the trochlear nerve, and the abducens nerve. These nerves are responsible for controlling the extraocular muscles that move the eyeball. The oculomotor nerve is the third cranial nerve which controls all the extraocular muscles except for those controlled by the other two nerves, and it also manages the lifting of the eyelid. The trochlear nerve, which is the fourth cranial nerve, controls the superior oblique muscle that is involved in rotating the eye. Lastly, the abducens nerve, the sixth cranial nerve, innervates the lateral rectus muscle that abducts the eye.
These nerves connect to the motor nuclei of the brain stem, which coordinates the movements of the eyes to ensure that they can track and focus on visual stimuli effectively. Coordination of the eyes during horizontal movements involves the abducens nerve controlled lateral rectus muscle of one eye and the oculomotor nerve controlled medial rectus muscle of the other eye.
Additionally, functions such as convergence, accommodation, and the vestibulo-ocular reflex are essential in maintaining stable gaze and focus, especially during head movements.