Blepharospasm is an involuntary blinking or spasm of the eyelids that researchers have associated with an abnormal function of the basal ganglion. The cause is unknown.
The basal ganglion is the part of the brain which controls the muscles. Although rare, it is thought that heredity may contribute to the development of blepharospasm.
What are the Symptoms of Blepharospasm?
Most of the time blepharospasm arrives without warning. But it may begin with a gradual increase in blinking or eye irritation. Emotional tension, fatigue and sensitivity to bright light are also some of the symptoms, and their frequency increases as the condition develops. During sleep, blepharospasm may lessen or stop.
Can Blepharospasm be Treated?
There is no cure for blepharospasm and typical treatment focuses on lessening its severity.
An approved treatment, in the United States and Canada, is an injection of Oculinum (Botox) into the muscles of the eyelids to paralyze them.
Oral medications for blepharospasm are available but produce erratic results. Symptomatic relief is brief and usually only helpful in around 15% of the cases.
A surgical procedure with a success rate of between 75 and 85 percent, called myectomy, removes a portion of the eyelid muscles and nerves.
Successful claims have been made by alternative treatment practitioners for acupuncture, biofeedback, hypnosis, nutritional therapy and chiropractic but these have not been catalogued or proven.
