It is not unusual for a patient to be initially seen by a physician who is unaware of this disease and refers them for psychiatric evaluation. They are generally greatly relieved when they are finally told they have a real disease and that there are support groups available to them. It is extremely important for patients to understand their disease process. Patients generally learn their own coping techniques which can be shared with others at support group meetings. At present there is no cure for esstential blepharospasm and related dystonias.
Systemic medications help some patients.
Debilatating spasms, however, continue in most cases, rendering patients functionally blind. Botulinum A toxin injection is the best temporary therapy and myectomy is the best long term therapy. It is a unilateral facial squeezing disorder unrelated to essential blepharospasm. Hemifacial spasms affect only those muscle innervated by the facial nerve. It usually begins around the eye with periodic twitching and spasms of the eyelids that close the eye partially or completely.