Benign essential blepharospasm

Introduction: Benign essential blepharospasm

Benign essential blepharospasm: Benign essential blepharospasm (BEB) is a progressive neurological disorder characterized by involuntary muscle contractions and spasms of the ... more about Benign essential blepharospasm.

Benign essential blepharospasm: A neurological disorder where certain eye muscles fail to function properly. More detailed information about the symptoms, causes, and treatments of Benign essential blepharospasm is available below.

Symptoms of Benign essential blepharospasm

• Progressive worsening of eyelid spasms
• Occasional eye blinking
• Occasional eye irritation
• Involuntary winking
• Involuntary squinting

See full list of 15 symptoms of Benign essential blepharospasm

Wrongly Diagnosed with Benign essential blepharospasm?

• Misdiagnosis of Benign essential blepharospasm
• Underlying causes of Benign essential blepharospasm (possibly wrongly diagnosed)

Misdiagnosis and Benign essential blepharospasm

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Causes of Benign essential blepharospasm

• Corneal abrasion
• Meige blepharospasm-oromandibular dystonia syndrome
• CS gas
• Salzmann's nodular degeneration of cornea
• Recurrent corneal erosion

See full list of 9 causes of Benign essential blepharospasm

Read more about causes of Benign essential blepharospasm.

More information about causes of Benign essential blepharospasm:

• Medications, drugs, or substances causing Benign essential blepharospasm (2 listings)
• Benign essential blepharospasm as a symptom

Treatments for Benign essential blepharospasm

• Botulinum toxin injections
• Medications
• Surgery

Read more about treatments for Benign essential blepharospasm

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Prognosis for Benign essential blepharospasm

Prognosis for Benign essential blepharospasm: With botulinum toxin treatment most individuals with BEB have substantial relief of symptoms. Although some may experience side effects such as drooping eyelids, blurred or double vision, and eye dryness, these side effects are usually only temporary. (Source: excerpt from NINDS Benign Essential Blepharospasm Information Page: NINDS)

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Reseach about Benign essential blepharospasm

Visit our research pages for current research about Benign essential blepharospasm treatments.

Clinical Trials for Benign essential blepharospasm

The US based website ClinicalTrials.gov lists information on both federally and privately supported clinical trials using human volunteers.

Some of the clinical trials listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for Benign essential blepharospasm include:

• Mexiletine for the Treatment of Focal Dystonia - This study has been completed (Current: 23 Nov 2006)
• Post Marketing Surveillance Study of Dysport - This study is no longer recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006)
• Study of a Single Administration of 3 Doses of Dysport for the Treatment of Benign Essential Blepharospasm - This study has been completed (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - Botulinum toxin type A (Dysport®)
• Neurophysiological Markers in Patients With Craniofacial Dystonia and Their Relatives - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006)
• Mexiletine for the Treatment of Focal Dystonia - This study has been completed (Current: 23 Nov 2006)

See full list of 8 Clinical Trials for Benign essential blepharospasm

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Article Excerpts about Benign essential blepharospasm

Benign essential blepharospasm (BEB) is a progressive neurological disorder characterized by involuntary muscle contractions and spasms of the eyelid muscles. It is a form of dystonia, a movement disorder in which sustained muscle contractions cause twitching and repetitive movements. (Source: excerpt from NINDS Benign Essential Blepharospasm Information Page: NINDS)

Definitions of Benign essential blepharospasm:

Excessive winking; tonic or clonic spasm of the orbicularis oculi muscle. - (Source - Diseases Database)

Spasm of the eyelid muscle resulting in closure of the eye - (Source - WordNet 2.1)

Benign essential blepharospasm is listed as a "rare disease" by the Office of Rare Diseases (ORD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This means that Benign essential blepharospasm, or a subtype of Benign essential blepharospasm, affects less than 200,000 people in the US population.
Source - National Institutes of Health (NIH)