Blepharospasm DDx
Overview
Blepharospasm is uncontrollable blinking as a result of repeated involuntary orbicularis oculi contraction. It is always bilateral, but may briefly be unilateral at onset. It subsides when asleep.
Causes
Blepharospasm is either:
- idiopathic, or
- due to an irritative lesion of the lid or eye (e.g. blepharitis, dry eyes, corneal foreign body)
Differential diagnosis:
- hemifascial spasms —
idiopathic or a brainstem lesion; may need an MRI - eyelid myokymia —
that funny lower eyelid twitch you get when you’re stressed and tired! - Tourette syndrome —
tics and coprolalia - Tic doloroux —
CN5 distribution pain associated with wincing - tardive dyskinesia —
dyskinesia is not limited to the eyelids - apraxia of eyelid opening —
e.g. Parkinsons; there is no muscle spasm, instead there is failure to voluntarily open the eyes
References and Links
LITFL
- Ophthalmology Befuddler 004 — The Man Who Blinked too Much
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Critical Care
Compendium
Chris is an Intensivist and ECMO specialist at the Alfred ICU in Melbourne. He is also a Clinical Adjunct Associate Professor at Monash University. He is a co-founder of the Australia and New Zealand Clinician Educator Network (ANZCEN) and is the Lead for the ANZCEN Clinician Educator Incubator programme. He is on the Board of Directors for the Intensive Care Foundation and is a First Part Examiner for the College of Intensive Care Medicine. He is an internationally recognised Clinician Educator with a passion for helping clinicians learn and for improving the clinical performance of individuals and collectives.
After finishing his medical degree at the University of Auckland, he continued post-graduate training in New Zealand as well as Australia’s Northern Territory, Perth and Melbourne. He has completed fellowship training in both intensive care medicine and emergency medicine, as well as post-graduate training in biochemistry, clinical toxicology, clinical epidemiology, and health professional education.
He is actively involved in in using translational simulation to improve patient care and the design of processes and systems at Alfred Health. He coordinates the Alfred ICU’s education and simulation programmes and runs the unit’s education website, INTENSIVE. He created the ‘Critically Ill Airway’ course and teaches on numerous courses around the world. He is one of the founders of the FOAM movement (Free Open-Access Medical education) and is co-creator of litfl.com, the RAGE podcast, the Resuscitology course, and the SMACC conference.
His one great achievement is being the father of three amazing children.
On Twitter, he is @precordialthump.
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