title: Spontaneous remission in patients with essential blepharospasm and Meige syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the frequency of remission in patients with essential blepharospasm and Meige syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis of patients by means of questionnaire in an institutional setting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 238 patients diagnosed in a single institution as having essential blepharospasm or Meige syndrome, 27 (11.3%) claimed to be symptom free without curative surgery. The average time between onset and resolution in the patients who claimed remission was 4.85 years (range, 3 months to 22 years). Among these patients, the duration of remission averaged 6.33 years (range, 1 year to 14 years).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with essential blepharospasm or Meige syndrome have a small but definite potential for spontaneous remission of symptoms, particularly within the first 5 years after onset of symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Neuro-Ophthalmology Unit, The Wilmer Eye Institute, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland 21287, USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Castelbuono
authors.forename: N R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D001764:Blepharospasm / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008538:Meige Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors