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Healthy Living<br />
EYE PROBLEMS IN DIFFERENT TYPES<br />
OF MUSCULAR DYSTROPHIES<br />
BY MARISA WEXLER MS<br />
MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY NEWS TODAY, JANUARY 10, <strong>2022</strong><br />
Oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy<br />
Oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy is a form<br />
of muscular dystrophy that primarily affects the<br />
muscles of the eyes and throat. The first symptom<br />
is typically ptosis, when the upper eyelid falls or<br />
droops because of weakened muscles, that affects<br />
both eyes.<br />
This form of muscular dystrophy also can cause<br />
paralysis of the muscles that control eye movement<br />
— a condition known as ophthalmoplegia — and<br />
myopia, or double vision.<br />
Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy<br />
In people with facioscapulohumeral muscular<br />
dystrophy, weakness of facial muscles can make<br />
it difficult to close the eyes completely, referred to<br />
as lagophthalmos. Typically one side of the face is<br />
more severely affected than the other.<br />
Coats’ disease, a condition characterized by<br />
abnormalities in the blood vessels of the eye,<br />
may occur in people with this form of muscular<br />
dystrophy.<br />
Myotonic dystrophy<br />
People with myotonic dystrophy can have ptosis.<br />
Cataracts, a clouding of the eye lens that can<br />
impair vision, also are common among this patient<br />
population.<br />
Myotonic dystrophy patients may experience<br />
blepharitis (inflammation of the eyelids) and<br />
double vision.<br />
Congenital muscular dystrophies<br />
Congenital muscular dystrophies are a group<br />
of conditions that lead to muscle weakness<br />
and wasting from birth or shortly thereafter.<br />
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