Photosensitive Epilepsy: Understanding and Management.
Photosensitive epilepsy is a form of epilepsy that is induced by visual stimuli, such as quick lights or strobe effects. It commonly affects a small percentage of individuals with epilepsy. People with this specific kind of epilepsy encounter a lot of difficulties in their day to day, especially in our current era where screens and artificial lights are all around us.
Common triggers and Effects
Certain children with photosensitivity epilepsy are prone to having seizures after playing a lot of video games or getting exposed to bright lights. Bouncing patterns of light and brightness are the most common photosensitive stimuli.
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Television and Video Games: There is greater temperature control, and the lifeguard may more quickly assist you in a pool environment.
Natural Light Patterns: It has also been known that it is possible for seizures to occur due to interrupted visual light or the flickering movements like sunlight flickering through trees or the sun glare on water.
Screens: A few people have also noticed triggers from images on mobile phones, computers, and tablets scrolling or movement.
Geometric Patterns: Some people who have photosensitive epilepsy will experience a seizure when exposed to intense repetitive motions or even geometric shapes such as black and white circles, or stripes.
Symptoms
The symptoms of photosensitive epilepsy resemble symptoms that can be associated with other forms of epilepsy including:
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Seizures: This can be in the form of muscle twitching, shaking, jerking or any other abnormal movements of the body.
Loss of Consciousness: It is possible for the affected person to lose consciousness during a given seizure.
Aura: People who have epilepsy experience this feeling many times just before a seizure hits. It usually consists of unusual feelings or perceptions.
Post-Seizure Confusion: Most patients experience a postictal state characterized by symptoms such as confusion, fatigue, and drowsiness.
Diagnosis
In case of photosensitive epilepsy, the most common way to confirm the diagnosis is through an electroencephalogram (EEG). In the course of the EEG, electrodes are placed on the scalp, and visual stimuli such as flashing lights are used to assess for changes in the electrical brain activity. The electrical activity in the brain during the seizure assists doctors in making a definitive diagnosis.
Management Strategies
When Photosensitive epilepsy is diagnosed, the doctor can then choose one among various strategies that could be effective in controlling the condition:
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Trigger Avoidance: One of the most important strategies is to limit the exposure to triggers. This can include changing the screens’ brightness, avoiding places with flashing lights, or using special glasses that protect the eyes from certain wavelengths of light.
Medications: Anti Seizure medications (ASMs) are sometimes prescribed in order to mitigate the number and severity of the convulsions.
Screen Adjustments: There are now some features in modern devices that minimize the flickering and glaring of screens. Most of them also come with a blue light filter which helps prevent image flashing induced seizures.
Lifestyle Modifications: Avoiding a lot of screen time, taking breaks while working on screens, and even fixing the lighting setup in the workplace are all easy changes that can be effective.
Conclusion
Photosensitive epilepsy is rare and afflicts only a fraction of a percentage of the population with epilepsy. However, in the present age exposure to screens is prevalent and it may be necessary to restrict or modify their use. Proper diagnosis with a photosensitive epilepsy can help enhance awareness and prompt modifications and treatments to help avoid seizures from these triggers.
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