Many people are forced to contend with muscle spasms affecting the eye. The medical term for this condition is Blepharospasm and it can cause people discomfort, blurred vision, frustration and even embarrassment. Any time we are not fully in control of our movements, it can affect our desire to be out in the social world.
Unfortunately, Blepharospasm most commonly affects the eyes during the day when most people need to be out. The muscle spasms are usually instigated when the eyes are confronted with bright lights, stress, tension and fatigue.
The longer someone has Blepharospasm, it will become increasingly worse over time. Sometimes, the blinking and twitching can become so uncontrollable and severe that the patient is actually blinded and cannot perform the daily tasks required in his or her life.
To make matters worse, the eyes will not only twitch and blink. They may actually close themselves for hours making the condition extremely frustrating and incapacitating.
In short, those who have eye spasms will experience:
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Uncontrollable Blinking or Twitching
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Functional Blindness
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Embarrassment at Inability to Control Facial Functions
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Possibility of Eyes Forcefully Shutting
Why Does Blepharospasm Occur?
It is suspected that Blepharospasm is a result of a malfunction of the basal ganglia. The basal ganglia are located at the base of the brain and contribute to the coordination of the body's movements. Blepharospasm is caused by a disturbance in this area that disrupts the transmission of information between cells. This inhibits certain movements or causes movement when it is not requested.
Unfortunately, the majority of people will experience Blespharospasm spontaneously without any previous indications that there were chances of it occurring.
Some people have a history of dry eye or Blespharospasm in their family and this can increase one's chances of experiencing the condition.
Can Botox Help?
While most commonly known for its cosmetic enhancement purposes, Botox has been approved by the FDA as a means of treating symptoms of Blespharospasm.
Botox works by blocking the release of the chemical acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter responsible for sending signals to the nervous system. This results in a temporary paralysis of the muscles and in turn, will stop uncontrollable twitching and blinking from occurring.
More and more people are using Botox injections as a means of controlling the symptoms of Blespharospasm for a variety of reasons.
First of all, Botox is a rather accessible treatment. There are a variety of skin care professionals and clinics available and patients can select those that they feel most comfortable with.
In addition, the injections themselves are generally not painful as the needle used is extremely fine. Each visit to a clinic takes only a few minutes and there is no recovery time required.
Find out how Botox is helping those with eye spasms and contact your skin care professional today.