Blepharospasm Symptoms, Causes, Treatments

Closeup of a woman's eye

LASIK EyeProviding excellent eye care means more than just meeting the LASIK needs of people in South Dakota and North Dakota. That’s why our practice does much more than just meet with Williston, ND laser eye surgery patients. In fact, we can also address a number of different eye conditions related to the eyelids. Many people take for granted just how much the eyelids can affect your eyesight. One such problem that we can help address is blepharospasm. Let’s take a look at this eyelid condition right now.

About Blepharospasm

Blepharospasm refers to involuntary twitches and muscle spasms that occur around the eye. This causes people to blink or experience twitches of the eyelids.

Causes of Blepharospasm

In most cases, the exact cause of blepharospasm is unknown. That said, all cases are caused by a dysfunction of the basal ganglion, the part of the brain that controls the muscles. There are rare instances in which genetics and heredity are responsible for blepharospasm.

When you talk about your issue with our eye doctors in South Dakota, we will consider a number of factors in order to diagnose and then treat your condition. Discussing your condition is especially important since some of the potential triggers for blepharospasm include stress, fatigue, and eye irritants. By assessing your situation, we will be able to determine the best possible treatment for your needs.

Blepharospasm Symptoms

People who experience blepharospasm will notice a sudden blinking or sensations of eye irritation. As symptoms progress, facial ticks, dry eye, and sensitivity to light are common as well.

Treatment Options for Blepharospasm

While there is no cure for blepharospasm, but there are several treatment options that can reduce its symptoms. Ideally we will want to start with non-surgical options before surgical treatments.

For non-surgical relief of blepharospasm, patients can take certain medications or receive BOTOX injections around the eye area. BOTOX injections are relatively effective since the treatments will paralyze muscles and hence greatly reduce muscle activity.

In some cases, Williston, ND oculoplastics will be considered for treatment. One potential surgery is a myectomy. During a myectomy, some muscle and nerve tissue is removed from the eye area in order to reduce spasms and involuntary muscle activity.

In addition to the above, relaxation, massage, and various alternative treatments are also considered for addressing blepharospasm. Some potential alternative treatments include acupuncture, hypnosis, nutritional therapy, biofeedback, and chiropractic therapy.

Other Vision Care Options to Consider

In addition to treatments for eyelid conditions, our eye care center offers other vision correction and eye care procedures. This includes laser vision correction, cataract surgery, and other advanced therapies for various vision needs. We will be more than happy to go over all of these matters in greater detail during your visit to our office.