Epileptic discharges triggered by blinking and eye closure.

Two children manifested EEG discharges which were triggered by blinking and/or eye closure in light and in darkness. The first case demonstrated single focal posterior discharges with eye blinks and repetitive focal posterior sharp wave discharges with eye closures. No photoparoxysmal responses were obtainable. Case 2 manifested generalized epileptic discharges triggered by eye closure which were sometimes associated with clinical seizures. In addition she showed photoconvulsive responses. Since the discharges triggered by eye blink and by eye closure occurred in both bright light and in darkness it is suggested that sensory afferents arising from contraction of the orbicularis oculi muscles may have been the epileptic trigger in Case 1 and could have contributed to the epileptic triggering mechanism in Case 2.