What is Blepharospasm?
Blepharospasm means eyelid contraction. People with blepharospasm blink or squeeze their eyes shut without that they want. The muscles to contract in the eyelids. This is not only inconvenient, but it can also be dangerous, such as biking, and driving.
Blepharospasm is a form of dystonia. Most people with blepharospasm have no other forms of dystonia in. But some also tense the muscles around the mouth or the throat or neck. This is called Meige syndrome.
Treatment with botulinum toxin injections over the eyes helps usually good against the flash. You receive injections every three months. Surgery can also help, but has more risks.
Blepharospasm usually begins between the 50th and 70th year. It is more common in women than in men.
Blepharospasm causes
The cause of blepharospasm is creating the brains too much or too little of certain substances (neurotransmitters). This causes movement problems, such as muscle spasms and involuntary movements.
Blepharospasm can also be a symptom of another disease, such as:
Brain Diseases: a stroke, a brain tumor, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), metabolic diseases or damage to nerves of the face.
Eye diseases, such as Sjogren's syndrome, inward eyelashes (entropion).
Side effects of drugs, in particular drugs in psychiatric diseases and in Parkinson's disease may have this side effect.
Signs and symptoms of blepharospasm
Blepharospasm you do not suddenly. Most people have first eye irritations, sore eyes or a sore eye or eyelid. You may find that you quite a while some flashing. You can also feel like there's sand in your eyes. Your eyes feel dry and burning to, or even watery. Fatigue, stress, bright light, exercise and read make it blink worse.
Sometimes it starts squeezing the eyelids of one eye. Then does the other eye with. One day the symptoms are worse than the other day. They can even stay away a while, but then come back. Without treatment is not blepharospasm.
Blepharospasm treatment
The best way to treat blepharospasm is injecting botox (botulinum toxin) in your eyelid. This is a substance that temporarily paralyzes muscles. Your eyelids relax again. The Botox works two to three months. Then injects the doctor again.
Drugs are largely ineffective so well with blepharospasm. If they help it is temporary. Moreover, the drugs have unpleasant side effects.
Surgery can reduce the symptoms of blepharospasm. It is not an easy operation. Question therefore whether the surgeon has experience with.
The surgeon gets in the operation some muscles around your eye away. In approximately 80% of patients will help it.
There is a risk of complications, such as loss of feeling in your face, a drooping upper eyelid, ectropion (outward turned eyelids), moisture in the eyelids and more tears. Bleeding may occur just after the operation. Sometimes the correction is a bit too big and you can no longer close properly the eye. You then need eye drops and ointment.
Consider in advance whether you want to run the risk of complications. Discuss this with your doctor.
Serious complications can be repaired with a second surgery.