HOUSTON – Some people have persistent, uncomfortable eye spasms caused by two conditions: hemifacial spasms and blepharospasms.
It affects daily life like walking, driving and the ability to work because it’s difficult to keep the eyes open.
A local oculoplastic surgeon, Dr. Mirwat Sami, has found a common injection, Botox, that can help.
Dr. Sami said she has hundreds of patients with these conditions.
Two of her patients were in her office for treatment the day KPRC2 was there to report on the treatment.
Jessica Griffing and Deborah Wood both said the spasms were aggravating and disruptive.
“I wouldn’t be able to drive,” Griffing explained. “I wouldn’t be confident even walking because when you’re walking and you start spasming, it’s like you have to stop and it’s almost like you’re afraid of falling.”
“I felt ugly all the time,” Wood said, but since she’s found Dr. Sami, she says it’s a lot better.
To treat it, Dr. Sami injects small, diluted doses of Botox directly into the eyelid, carefully finding the muscle under the thin layer of skin.
Her patients said it works instantly to stop spasms.
There is a surgical option for patients when Botox doesn’t work well, but it’s not Dr. Sami’s first choice of treatment.
“There is a surgery to decompress and separate that nerve, but of course, it carries a pretty high risk,” she said.
To avoid the invasive operation, her patients are happy to come as frequently as every six weeks.
“It’s worth it!” Griffing said.
Since the spasms are a medical condition, medical insurance will cover Botox for this use.