People often say “the left eye jumps for money, the right eye jumps for disaster”, so the eyelid jumping will make many people worry. In fact, eyelid jumping is actually a sign of increased nerve excitement. Here, I would like to introduce you to a special kind of “eye jumping” – blepharospasm. Blepharospasm is a type of focal dystonia that is characterized by involuntary closing of the eyes. We sometimes feel a twitch under the eye, commonly known as an eye-jump. One type of blepharospasm is benign and spontaneous and is not life-threatening and the cause is not known. Other forms of blepharospasm may be associated with dry eye, cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s disease, head or facial trauma, adverse reactions to medications, Tourette’s syndrome (childhood apraxia) or other neurological disorders and may be more severe. Often, patients with blepharospasm have normal eyes, and any impairment in their vision is caused by forced eyelid closure. Xiong Nian, Department of Neurology, Wuhan Union Hospital In the United States, there are approximately 20,000-50,000 patients with blepharospasm, with about 2,000 new patients each year. In different studies, the prevalence of blepharospasm has ranged from 16 to 133 per million people. The age of onset of blepharospasm tends to be 50-70 years, with more women than men. The main clinical manifestations of blepharospasm are: an increase in the number of involuntary blinks; symptoms can be triggered by light, television, reading, driving, or fatigue; bizarre sensations, such as placing the hand on the forehead or brow, or talking can reduce the symptoms, which may vary from person to person, mostly at the beginning of the disease and can disappear in the later stages; dry, irritated eyes and tight eyelids; white skin around the eyes and circular wrinkles around the eyes; in some patients, the middle of the face is involved Some patients have muscle spasms in the middle and lower part of the face (part of Meige syndrome). Dangers of blepharospasm: chronic, progressive disease leading to progressive disability; functional impairment and functional “blindness”; occupational disability (inability to work in certain occupations); depression. Treatment goals for blepharospasm: reduce or prevent involuntary contractions of the eye 1. Preferred treatment: topical botulinum toxin type A treatment (administered at the site of intramuscular injection to block the release of acetylcholine from motor nerve endings and relax the muscle) 2. Adjunctive treatment: biofeedback, acupuncture, hypnosis and relaxation 3. Partial muscle excision, eyelid misalignment correction In conclusion, this “eye-hopping” – eyelid spasm – has been very difficult to treat in the past, with poor drug control and no specific treatment. Since 1998, when botulinum toxin was approved for use in blepharospasm, it has been a blessing to the majority of patients that blepharospasm is not insurmountable!