title: Chronic (neuropathic) corneal pain and blepharospasm: five case reports.
abstract: Pain and focal dystonias have been associated with chronic pain conditions such as complex regional pain syndrome. Corneal pain, frequently known as "dry eye", may be a neuropathic pain condition with abnormalities of the nerve plexus. Here we present 5 case histories of patients with defined corneal pain (with associated neuropathic features) and objective measures of changes in the nerve plexus and associated blepharospasm. A putative relationship between pain and blepharospasm suggests potential involvement of the basal ganglia in both these conditions.
authors.affiliation: Center for Pain and the Brain, McLean Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Children's Hospital of Boston, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA Boston Foundation for Sight, Needham, MA, USA.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Borsook
authors.forename: Perry
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rosenthal
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001479:Basal Ganglia / Q000503:physiopathology; D001764:Blepharospasm / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003315:Cornea / Q000294:innervation; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006987:Hypesthesia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology