Symptoms and treatment of blepharospasm

Briefly called twitching, spasm is an uncontrolled muscle contraction. When it happens to the eye or eyes, the condition is named eye twitching. Many people have one or several experiences of eye twitching, which can occur in only one eye or both eyes. More exactly, this twitching effect occurs to the eyelid. The condition of eye twitching in one eye is called hemifacial spasm. This form of eye twitching can be caused by various factors, including lack of sleep, bad diet, improper medication and others. Hemifacial spasm will always resolve on its own.

Regular symptoms of blepharospasm

When eye twitching happens to both eyes, it is called blepharospasm. Blepharospasm has many symptoms. Excessive blinking and spasm in both eyes are the most common. The eye muscles and facial areas can not help twitching. Blepharospasm can also cause untreatable dry eyes. Moreover, light sensitivity is also a possible symptom. Experiencing some of these symptoms, it is necessary to visit an eye doctor for further diagnosis. Do not ignore these signs because this eye problem is usually chronic and persistent. An early detection and awareness is the first step.

Lasting blepharospasm causes serious consequences

Unlike hemifacial spasm, blepharospasm does not resolve itself or go away without external interference. Even mild treatment is helpless. Without in-time treatment, blepharospasm can gradually cause the eyelids to droop. In serious cases, normal vision will be affected due to excessive droopy eyelids. As a result, many day-to-day activities will be affected. Blepharospasm can also present life challenges as serious as blindness. The formal name of benign essential blepharospasm indicates that the reason for this condition is still unclear. Ocular professionals only suggest some possible contributing factors like fatigue, stress and irritation.

Correct diagnosis is no easy

In this case, it is quite necessary to make an appointment with an eye doctor once the situation of eyelid twitching goes on for several days. Blepharospasm is harder to be diagnosed than hemifacial spasm. Sometimes blepharospasm is misdiagnosed as allergies or dry eye syndrome. Early diagnosis of the problem is an uneasy task, partially because there are only quite a few recorded cases. It is more important for patients to receive proper treatment of blepharospasm, rather than seeking its underlying reason.

Different treatments are optional

Drug therapy, Botox injections, and surgery are the most common treatments for blepharospasm present now. More specifically, patients who receive drug therapy usually report unpredictable and short-term results. The effectiveness of Botox infection will decrease after several years of use. Surgical treatments like protractor myectomy provide another good option for patients who can not receive a good result from medication or Botulinum toxin injection. It is the doctor who can make a proper choice.