title: Effectiveness of botulinum toxin therapy for essential blepharospasm.
abstract: The effectiveness of Botulinum toxin (Oculinum) therapy in 76 patients with the diagnosis of essential blepharospasm was analyzed. Botulinum offers relief to almost all patients suffering from essential blepharospasm, however, this relief is usually temporary. The response time for repeated treatments tended to be longer than the first treatment. Patients with mild blepharospasm responded significantly longer to Botulinum injection, than those with severe spasms. The response to Botulinum was not significantly different in patients with Meige syndrome than in patients with only essential blepharospasm. Patients previously treated surgically for essential blepharospasm did not respond differently than those patients with no previous surgical therapy. The authors believe that Botulinum toxin injection is an effective, although temporary, mode of therapy for the signs and symptoms of this focal dystonia. The authors recognize that there may be psychologic factors affecting the response.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.
authors: P F
authors: PF
authors: Engstrom
authors: J B
authors: JB
authors: Arnoult
authors: M L
authors: ML
authors: Mazow
authors: T C
authors: TC
authors: Prager
authors: R B
authors: RB
authors: Wilkins
authors: W A
authors: WA
authors: Byrd
authors: R J
authors: RJ
authors: Hofmann
mesh_terms: D001764:Blepharospasm / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001905:Botulinum Toxins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005141:Eyelid Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D001905:Botulinum Toxins