Blepharospasm in Adults

Characteristics1,2

  • Second most common form of focal
    dystonia
  • Causes bilateral involuntary eyelid
    closure and is centrally mediated
  • Progression of symptoms is common
    and may lead, in severe cases, to legal
    blindness
  • Stress can worsen symptoms
  • Symptoms may improve after sleep
  • Thought to be underdiagnosed and the
    actual incidence may be significantly
    higher

Symptoms3

  • Excessive blinking
  • Watering eyes
  • Light sensitivity
  • Dry eyes
  • Eye irritation
Reported incidence is 35,000 new cases
every year worldwide2

Dona’s Story: How XEOMIN Treatment Helped Me

Dona's story: blepharospasm video thumbnail
“Now that I am in more control of my eyes, I am able to do some of the things I had not been able to do because of my blepharospasm.”
—Dona, an adult with blepharospasm treated with XEOMIN

Individual results may vary.

Dona, patient with blepharospasm.

After being diagnosed with blepharospasm, my life began to change. I lost control of movement in both eyes, developed sensitivity to light, and was in pain. I had to stop working and driving.

I began seeing many different doctors and not really getting answers. I realized I had to be my own advocate. I knew that if I was going to have this disorder, I wasn't just going to settle. I can't shut myself away. I can't let this take over my life. I run a nonprofit and a store, and I try to keep really busy. Finally, after 2 years, I was diagnosed by a neurologist. At first, I was on another neuromodulator, but when XEOMIN came out, I wanted to try it.

XEOMIN helped me. I can now keep my eyes open, whereas before treatment, I had no control. I have less discomfort at work, and have relief from my blepharospasm symptoms. I have my own business, a nonprofit, and now that I have control over my eyes again, I feel that I am giving something back. I have defined a new normal for my life. There are still things I used to do that I can't do now, but at least I am not letting my condition define me.

Every patient’s experience with XEOMIN will vary, and there are potential risks and side effects with XEOMIN. Talk to your healthcare provider to see if XEOMIN is right for you.

The symptoms before treatment were a lot of facial twitching, which I thought maybe was a tic. I lost control of my eye movement in both eyes. My eyes became very sensitive to light, sunlight, any kind of hard lighting. It became worse and worse. I kept thinking: This has got to go away; this can't stay this way for the rest of my life; something is seriously wrong. And there is pain. It's like there is always sand in my eyes. I don't cry like a normal person; my eyes don't shed tears. So, when I actually do cry, it is very painful; my eyes are always very dry.

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References

  1. Epidemiological Study of Dystonia in Europe (ESDE) Collaborative Group. A prevalence study of primary dystonia in eight European countries. J Neurol. 2000;247(10):787-792.
  2. Tsui JKC. Blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm. In: Brin MF, Comella C, Jankovic J, eds. Dystonia: Etiology, Clinical Features, and Treatment. New York, NY: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2004:151-158.
  3. Blepharospasm. National Eye Institute website. https://nei.nih.gov/health/blepha/blepharospasm. Accessed June 18, 2021.