Through Connie’s Eyes: A Patient’s Story in Overcoming Blepharospasm

Through Connie Brosam’s eyes, life today looks a lot different than it did a decade ago. With two steady hands on the wheel, she now drives herself to her appointments at the UF Health Eye Center – The Oaks.

The route has become familiar, almost routine. This wasn’t always the case. The drive itself represents a milestone Connie once thought she’d never reach.

Life took an unexpected turn for Connie in 2015 when she suffered a hard fall and hit the back of her head. A month after the incident, she began experiencing eye spasms. At first, the episodes were manageable. However, these spasms grew progressively worse. Before long, Connie could hardly go an hour without experiencing one, making everyday tasks increasingly difficult.

Through a series of medical evaluations, Connie was initially diagnosed with myasthenia gravis, or MG. This autoimmune disorder affects the muscles controlling the eyes. Little did Connie know then that the diagnosis she received would soon be called into question, ultimately leading her to the care she needed at University of Florida Health.

After one of her appointments, Connie was discussing her diagnosis in the lobby of her former physician’s office when she was overheard by Hazem Samy, MD, a former UF Health physician and board-certified ophthalmologist. Recognizing that Connie’s symptoms did not fully align with the condition, Dr. Samy asked if he could take a closer look. After conducting a series of tests, he determined that Connie did not have myasthenia gravis. Instead, Connie was diagnosed with blepharospasm, a neurological condition characterized by involuntary, repetitive blinking and forceful closure of the eyelids.

While the correct diagnosis was comforting, it also marked the beginning of another chapter in an exhausting search for answers. Though she finally knew what was causing her symptoms, she was still searching for a way to live beyond them.

Dr. Samy recommended that Connie seek further treatment at UF Health.

“By the time I arrived at UF Health, I had already begun to lose hope,” Connie said. “I was no longer able to live with the same sense of independence I had always known.”

Still, Connie continued forward. After years of uncertainty and inconclusive appointments, she desperately wanted a sign that she was finally moving in the right direction. At first, she expected this appointment to be no different — another visit that might leave her with more questions than solutions. As it turned out, it would lead her to the hope she had spent years searching for: Firoozeh Raygan, MD.

Dr. Samy had originally referred Connie to a different physician. However, a scheduling mix-up placed her appointment with Dr. Raygan — a turn of events Connie says she “wouldn’t change for the world.”

Dr. Raygan joined the UF Health team in 2022 as a clinical assistant professor of ophthalmology specializing in oculoplastic surgery.

When Connie met her, she found a physician willing to listen — not only to her symptoms but also to how her condition had affected her daily life. Dr. Raygan took the time to understand Connie’s experiences and carefully evaluate the challenges she had faced for years. For Dr. Raygan, watching her patients improve and move beyond their conditions is one of the many highlights of her career.

After evaluating Connie’s condition, Dr. Raygan recommended a myectomy, a surgical procedure that removes targeted muscles around the eyes. The surgery ultimately aims to reduce the involuntary muscle contractions responsible for forcing the eyes shut, providing relief from the uncontrollable spasms that had disrupted Connie’s daily life.

This recommendation worried Connie. A previous physician had refused to perform the procedure, warning that it could potentially result in permanent vision loss. However, reassured by Dr. Raygan, Connie ultimately decided to trust her care and move forward with the surgery.

After years of uncertainty and searching for answers, Connie had found the relief she was looking for. Through a bilateral myectomy, Dr. Raygan removed targeted portions of the muscles responsible for Connie’s involuntary blinking and forceful eyelid closure. As she progressed through recovery, her spasms gradually declined, allowing her to open her eyes more freely.

As Connie’s independence returned, so too did her sense of freedom. After years of having her condition dictate her life, Connie was finally beginning to feel like herself again. Within months of her recovery, Connie was back behind the wheel, driving herself for the first time in years.

Connie started navigating her daily routines without sunglasses, an accessory she had used to shield her eyes and conceal the effects of her condition. When she returned to work, a co-worker even commented on how beautiful her eyes were.

To some, it may have seemed like a simple compliment. For Connie, it was a reminder of how much had changed. After years of feeling forced to wear sunglasses, she no longer needed to hide behind them.

Connie’s road to healing also brought immense gratitude from Dr. Raygan.

“When I had first met Connie, she was so sad,” Dr. Raygan said. “She is a sister to me, and it brings me great joy to see her regain her happiness and thrive beyond her condition.”

Today, Connie and Dr. Raygan continue to meet regularly for routine Botox injections, which help to keep her spasms in check. Connie now receives the injections less frequently and at lower doses, but she still looks forward to catching up with Dr. Raygan — who, beyond being her physician, Connie has come to see as family.

“My experience with Dr. Raygan was an amazing, life-changing process,” Connie said. “It was a miracle and a blessing to be scheduled with her, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.”

Today, Connie pulls out of the parking lot at the UF Health Eye Center – The Oaks with something she spent years searching for: a clearer vision of the life ahead and the ability to enjoy it.