ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Blepharospasm

Blepharospasm is a fancy medical word for an eye twitch. You know when your eye suddenly starts shaking or blinking uncontrollably? That's what happens to adults who have blepharospasm.

Sometimes, when adults get older, their eyes can start to act up and twitch or blink a lot. It can be really annoying and uncomfortable. This can happen because of some problems with the muscles in their eyes. Basically, the muscles in their eyelids start to spasm or contract a lot more than usual, even when they don't want them to.

It's like when your arm or leg suddenly jerks on its own without you meaning to move it. This can be because of the brain sending the wrong signals to the muscles. The same thing can happen with the muscles around your eyes that control blinking and opening and closing your eyelids.

Fortunately, doctors have found ways to help people with blepharospasm. Some people get medicine that helps relax their muscles, while other people might need a treatment called botulinum toxin injections. This fancy word means that a doctor will give you tiny injections just beneath your skin to help control your muscles and stop them from twitching too much.

So, even though it can be really uncomfortable to have your eyes twitching all the time, there are ways to help you feel better!