This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Photophobia is a general term used to describe light sensitivity or abnormal intolerance to light. Patients with photophobia avoid light because of pain or discomfort. Although photophobia is associated with inflammatory conditions of the eye, it can also be reported by patients with blepharospasm, migraine, meningitis, sub-arachnoid hemorrhage, and head injury. Although not completely understood, the mechanism of photophobia is thought to involve the trigeminal pathway and possibly input from the occipital lobe and thalamus. Irritation to any region supplied by the trigeminal nerve can facilitate photophobia. Benign essential blepharospasm is a movement disorder characterized by involuntary spasmodic contraction of the eyelids. The onset is typically between the 5th and 7th decades, increasing in prevalence with age. The primary treatment for blepharospasm is chemodenervation with botulinum toxin. Medical treatments are generally ineffective. Other surgical therapies include chemodenervation with doxyrubicin and surgical myectomy. Although the location and etiology of the pathology in blepharospasm is not known, a positron emission tomography scanning study indicated abnormalities in several cortical and subcortical areas that control blinking, including the inferior frrontal lobe, caudate, thalamus, and cerebellum. The spasms are physically and often socially debilitating, making normal activities such as reading, driving, and working difficult to perform. In severe cases the patient can be rendered functionally blind. The purpose of this study is to objectively determine if FL-41 tinted spectacles are more effective in reducing blink frequency in patients with benign essential blepharospasm compared to a neutral rose t
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