The present disclosure provides a head tracking control system including at least one marker positioned on a head of a surgeon. The system further includes an infrared camera including at least two infrared sensors and that detects infrared light reflected off the at least one marker and sends a signal corresponding to the detected light to a processor, and that executes instructions on the processor to detect a movement of the at least one marker. The system also includes an intelligent tracking system that executes instructions on the processor to determine if the detected movement of the at least one marker corresponds to a defined head movement of the surgeon. The system further includes an ophthalmic surgical microscope including the processor. If the detected movement of the at least one marker corresponds to the defined head movement of the surgeon, the processor executes instructions to control the ophthalmic surgical microscope.