aff ecting one eye at a time and lasting anywhere
from days to weeks. Episodes oft en
occur during periods of high emotional
stress and fatigue, physical exertion, increased
caff eine, or lack of sleep. Typically,
myokymia is benign and will resolve without
treatment. Very rarely can it be more
serious of a problem. While oft en quite an
annoyance to the person experiencing this,
it is rarely visible to other people.
Treatment oft en consists of patient education
and reassurance. We discuss the importance
of reducing stress, caff eine intake,
smoking, and alcohol use. We also highlight
the importance of an adequate amount
of overnight sleep (approximately eight
hours). Patients who are highly symptomatic
may benefi t from subcutaneous Botox
injections to stop the muscle spasm.
HOW WE ADJUST
Adapting to our new normal has taught
us a lot, but not without sacrifi ce. It is only
natural that during a season of change and
uncertainty comes stress. Th e body can
manifest stress in a variety of ways, including
vision and ocular changes. Th e good
thing about this issue is that is can be easily
resolved by reducing stress. So, get out and
exercise, be sure to get a full eight hours of
sleep, adopt a healthy diet, and consider
breathing exercises and meditation.
A lot of these stress-related eye symptoms
can be quite alarming at fi rst when you are
uncertain of the cause. If there is any question
as to what may be causing a new visual
symptom, reach out to your eye doctor
right away. Understand that visual health
is as much in the mind as it is in the eye.
Take a deep breath, activate your creative
subconscious, recall positive affi rmations,
and reprogram your brain to recognize
challenges as opportunities and not defeat.
Let your eye doctor take care of the rest.
Kimberly Douglas, OD, FAAO is an associate
doctor with McPherson Family Eye Care, located
at 3150 Rogers Road, Suite 110 in Wake
Forest. For more information, call 919-263-
9163 or visit mcphersonfamilyeyecare.com.
CIRCA Magazine | October • November • December 2020 | www.circamagazine.com 41
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