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Question 105: Do you know if constant blinking / squinting can cause damage to the eye? I have several tics but the most frequent is extreme squinting and blinking. It has started giving me dizzy spells and head aches. I'm worried that I'm going to cause some kind of damage to my eyes ( or something else??) Thanks for any information you can offer.
Dawn, TX, USA.

Hello Dawn:

I know that, in myself, an exaggerated blink that I do with my left eye has been responsible for a lot of scratching of the cornea, and possible permanent acuity loss. I haven't experienced the dizzy spells you describe, but if your acuity HAS changed so that you now require corrective lenses (or your current corrective lenses are no longer the appropriate prescription), this could be contributing to the headaches and even potentially the dizziness.

The finer mechanisms of the eye are beyond my expertise and purview -- I'd recommend going to your optometrist and telling him/her what you've been experiencing. Be sure that (s)he is addressing your particular concern, which may require a little bit of "out of the box" thinking on the part of this professional (i.e. you are not asking him/her what typically can be caused by excessive blinking or by TS, but instead what foreseeable consequences might occur as a result of the specific tic you are outlining to him/her). If you don't feel that you are being listened to, do not hesitate to leave and find a different professional who WILL listen. My last optometrist was enormously condescending and dismissive of me. She is no longer my optometrist.

Depending upon what (s)he says, you may wish to learn more about Habit Reversal Training (discussed on various pages on this website and thoroughly described in my new book Nix Your Tics! Eliminate Unwanted Tic Symptoms: A How-To Guide For Young People). You can use this technique to completely eliminate that specific tic. Eyesight isn't something to play with.

I hope this helps,
Dr. Dunc.

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