Blepharospasm

BBE - What is it?
Benign essential blepahrospasm (BBE) is a chronic, unremitting, bilateral, variably progressive neurological dysfunction in the motor control center of the brain. It is due to involuntary muscle contraction caused by misfiring of neurons within the central nervous system and involves the fifth and seventh cranial nerves. It is a localized form of dystonia.

What does BBE mean?
Little is known about the etiology of BEB and related disorders at this time. On this basis, essential belpharospasm seems to be as appropriate as any other designation so far proposed.
Essential blepharospasm is a spasmodic blinking that is not due to primary eye disorder (irritated cornea or conjunctivitis) and is not part of a generalized neurological condition such as Parkinson's disease.

Benign means not fatal.

Essential, in medical terms, means of unknown cause.

Belpharo is derived from the Greek word meaning eyelid.

Spasm means involuntary, forceful contraction of muscles.

What are the symptoms of BEB?
Early symptoms of BEB may be occasional increased winking, blinking or squinting of one or both eyes, or simply an increasing difficulty in keeping the eyes open. Light sensitivity seems to be a symptom with most blepharospam patients. As the condition progresses, eyelid spasms become increasingly frequent until they are unremitting. Both eyelids clamp shut and the eye brows pull down. All cases do not have the same symptoms. This condition is usually progressive in the sense that the periods of spasms become more frequent and the periods of relaxation shorter.

What casues BEB?
The cause of BEB and related disorders are unknown at this time. The symptoms are believed to be of neurological origin involving a subtle and poorly defined chemical imbalance within motor centers of the brain.

Who gets BEB?
Observations at present indicate that symptoms occur most frequently in the fifth and sixth decades of life and is three times more prevalent among women than among men. Recent findings indicate increasing numbers in the third and fourth decades.

What are the effects of BEB?
Eventually the spasms may increase in frequency and duration until a patient becomes functionally blind, and other facial spasms may become more severe. The ability to drive, read and watch television, or perform other necessary daily activities becomes increasingly difficult.

How is BEB diagnosed?
In the beginning a patient may feel that his/her problem is merely an annoying habit and may fail to seek immediate medical attention. Furthermore, blepharospasm is often misdiagnosed because of relative lack of awareness mong physicians, especially among the non-neurologists and non-ophthalmologists. Too often it may even be initially diagnosed as a psychiatric problem. There is no specific test for diagnosing BBE and related disorders.

What can be done about it?
While it is true that there is no cure for BBE at this time, much is being done by physicians to help patients and their families live with the problems. Treaments aimed at relieving the symptoms of the disorder may be effective. The overall goal of treatment is to help the patient maintain a useful and satisfying lifestyle and help both patient and the family cope with the disorder.