Botulinum toxin A injection for idiopathic blepharospasm

  Blepharospasm is what we call “eyelid hopping”. Idiopathic blepharospasm is a spontaneous spasmodic contraction of the orbital and periorbital orbicularis muscles of unknown origin, which can be of long or short duration and is characterized by the repetition of strong non-volitional eye closure.  The disease occurs in middle-aged and elderly women, often with bilateral lesions that progress progressively, 2/3 are women, and most stabilize within 3-5 years, manifesting as frequent and involuntary transients, tight wrinkling of the eyes, spastic or tonic lid closure of both eyes, and secondary lesions such as brow ptosis, ptosis and eyelid skin laxity due to the long-term intense spasm of the orbicularis oculi. Since 1983, when Botulinum toxin A was first used to treat idiopathic blepharospasm, it has become one of the fastest and most effective treatments available due to its high efficacy and few side effects. After receiving Botox treatment, the effect mostly starts after 3 days of administration and is maintained for 12 weeks (10-16 weeks), and can be repeatedly injected. Some patients are cured after treatment, and some patients have improved symptoms after treatment.  The efficiency of botulinum toxin treatment for blepharospasm is generally above 80%, and about 50% regain normal or near-normal visual function. Side effects such as ptosis, blurred double vision, localized pain and swelling, lid ectropion and eye irritation symptoms occur in 15%-50% of patients treated with this method, but are mild, transient and all recoverable.  Some people are worried about the safety of botulinum toxin injection, but we can definitely answer that botulinum toxin injection is very safe, its semi-lethal dose for human is 40IU/Kg, and the semi-lethal dose for a patient weighing 50kg is 2000IU, while the dose for cosmetic wrinkle removal is only 0.1~1ml liquid injection 5~50IU, so botulinum toxin injection is very safe and does not require hospitalization. It does not require an incision and does not affect work.  Nevertheless, botulinum toxin wrinkle removal still has certain complications and side effects, such as injection of local headaches; improper injection at the headline will occur lid sagging; improper injection at the crow’s feet will occur double vision and incomplete eye closure; due to inaccurate injection dose, more on one side, less on one side will occur asymmetric results; into the needle pierced blood vessels occasionally bleeding or hematoma; large doses, repeated injections may cause immune The result of muscle paralysis is the inability to make various expressions and a false mask-like feeling; anaphylactic shock can occur in a very small number of patients.  Patients should be reviewed one week after the initial treatment, when the effect of treatment and complications will be precise. A small number of patients may require additional injections so that the ideal dose for each patient can be determined. There are also some precautions to take, such as stopping the use of aspirin and aspirin-like drugs 14 days before the injection; stopping the use of cosmetics on the day of the injection; and not massaging the area after the injection to avoid spreading the toxin.