What is blepharospasm?
Benign essential blepharospasm is a focal dystonia: the brain sends faulty signals to the muscles around the eyes, causing excessive blinking, spasms and sometimes forced eye closure. It’s usually treated by a neurologist or eye specialist, most often with botulinum toxin injections.
Why does light make it worse?
Light sensitivity is one of the most common features of blepharospasm. In a survey of 316 people with the condition, 94% reported it. Bright light set off spasms almost every time, and ordinary room light did so about half the time.1 The reasons are still being studied, but the visual system and the circuits that control blinking are closely linked.
Screens and blepharospasm
Screens combine several triggers at once: a bright light source you look straight into, glare, and often flicker from PWM dimming. Concentrating on a screen also changes how you blink.
What to look for in a screen
- Smooth dimming without flicker. DC dimming lets you turn the screen right down without adding PWM.
- Warm, soft light. Less harsh glare.
- No bare light source. Light that reaches you only through the picture.
Many people with blepharospasm also use tinted glasses outdoors and under bright lights; ask your specialist what they recommend.