Eye blinking symptoms may accompany other symptoms, depending on the underlying disease, disorder or condition. Symptoms that frequently affect the eye may also involve other body systems.

Eye blinking symptoms may accompany other symptoms affecting the eye including:

• Blurred or double vision

• Discharge from the eye

• Drooping eyelid (ptosis)

• Dry eyes

• Exposure of the ocular surface (lack of adequate wetting due to deficient blinking)

• Eye pain

• Eye muscle palsy (strabismus)

• Increased sensitivity to light

• Itchy eyes

• Pain with blinking (usually severe)

• Red, sore eyes 

• Squinting

• Watery eyes

Eye blinking symptoms may accompany symptoms related to the nervous system including:

• Disruptive outbursts of speech or gesture

• Facial paralysis

• Facial tics, including grimacing and twitching of the mouth and nose

• Facial weakness

• Lack of facial expression (called flat affect), or staring

• Restlessness

• Seizures and tremors

• Shuffling gait (shuffling walk)

• Slowed muscle movements

• Slurred speech

In some cases, eye blinking symptoms may be a symptom of a life-threatening condition such as stroke that should be immediately evaluated in an emergency setting. Emergency care is also needed if eye blinking symptoms are caused by contact with a caustic chemical. 

• Abnormal pupils (fixed, dilated, unresponsive to bright light)

• Burning or pain after contact with toxic substance

• Change in level of consciousness or alertness, such as passing out or unresponsiveness

• Facial paralysis

• Facial weakness

• Neck stiffness

• Sudden change in vision, loss of vision, or eye pain

• Sudden loss of balance or coordination

• Sudden severe, unexplained headache

Most commonly, increased eye blinking results from eye irritation caused by bright light, dust, smoke, or a foreign body in the eye. Allergies, infections, and dry eye may also increase the rate of blinking. Conditions of stress, anxiety or fatigue may lead to increased blinking. Increased blinking, especially in young children, always deserves careful evaluation. Oftentimes it may only be a type of facial tic. On the other hand, increased blinking and light sensitivity are familiar findings in congenital glaucoma.

Eye blinking symptoms may also be caused by conditions occurring in the nervous system.

A severe decrease in blinking is seen chiefly in Parkinson’s disease, a brain disorder that impairs movement and coordination.

Eye blinking symptoms may be caused by specific disorders or injuries to the eyeball or eye orbit itself including:

• Allergies
• Blepharitis (inflammation of the eyelid margin)
• Conjunctivitis (inflammation of the eye surface)
• Contact lens wear
• Corneal abrasion or ulcer
• Dry eyes
• Exposure to irritants such as smoke, smog or dust
• Foreign body in the eye
• Ocular inflammation (uveitis, iritis)

Eye blinking symptoms can also be caused by neurologic disorders including:

• Attention deficit disorder

• Blepharospasm (involuntary spasm or twitching of the eyelid)

• Dystonia

• Facial tic

• Parkinson’s disease (brain disorder that impairs movement and coordination)

• Stroke

• Tardive (slow or belated onset) dyskinesia

• Tourette’s syndrome

In some cases, eye blinking symptoms may be an indication of a serious or life-threatening condition that should be immediately evaluated in an emergency setting. These include:

• Aicardi syndrome (rare organic brain disorder acquired in early childhood)

• Congenital glaucoma

• Seizure disorder

• Stroke

Because eye blinking symptoms can be due to serious diseases, failure to seek treatment can result in serious complications and permanent damage. Once the underlying cause is diagnosed, it is important for you to follow the treatment plan that you and your health care professional design specifically for you to reduce the risk of potential complications including:

• Chronic eye inflammation
• Corneal abrasion, ulcer or scarring
• Eye pain
• Glaucoma
• Increase in eye infections
• Loss of vision and blindness

HOMOEOPATHIC TREATMENT OF EYE BLINKING