Botox-Type Drugs Can Treat Many Eye Conditions A good approach when muscular dysfunction is the cause, expert says

According to Skorin, botulinum toxins can effectively treat dystonias such as benign essential blepharospasm (BEB), which causes eyelid spasms. "I see this the most in my practice. These people are blinking constantly," said Skorin, who spoke of a patient who had to hold up his eyelids to drive to the doctor's office. "These people can become functionally blind: They can't keep their eyes open enough to drive, read, watch television." In terms of treatment, it's important to remember that the drugs are designed to be injected into muscles, he said. "Let's say somebody has BEB, and they also have wrinkles," he said. "The injection for cosmetic purposes or the dystonia is exactly the same. You'll never inject in a crease or furrow. You want to inject in muscles themselves." Another use: The treatment of post-Bell's palsy and the related "crocodile tears" form of synkinesis: "They'll start getting teary every time they chew, or even if they think of food and start salivating. You can do Botox injections directly into lachrymal gland. It works very well." Other conditions for which botulinum toxin agents can be used include hemifacial spasm, apraxia of lid opening, segmental cranial dystonia, idiopathic oromandibular dystonia (Breughel syndrome), and idiopathic orofacial dystonia (Meige syndrome), said Skorin. They can also be used to treat strabismus ("you inject the overreacting muscle to weaken it so the eye straightens itself out"), eyelid retraction and spastic entropion, he said. http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/AAOPT/61335?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-11-11&eun=g721819d0r&pos=2