Eyelid myoclonia with absences (Jeavons syndrome): a well-defined idiopathic generalized epilepsy syndrome or a spectrum of photosensitive conditions?

Epilepsia. 2009 May;50 Suppl 5:15-9. Eyelid myoclonia with absences (Jeavons syndrome): a well-defined idiopathic generalized epilepsy syndrome or a spectrum of photosensitive conditions? Striano S, Capovilla G, Sofia V, Romeo A, Rubboli G, Striano P, Trenité DK. Epilepsy Center, Department of Neurological Sciences, Federico II University, Napoli, Italy. sstriano@libero.it Eyelid myoclonia with absences (EMA), or Jeavons syndrome, is a generalized epileptic condition clinically characterized by eyelid myoclonia (EM) with or without absences, eye closure-induced electroencephalography (EEG) paroxysms, and photosensitivity; in addition, rare tonic-clonic seizures may also occur. Although first described in 1977 and widely reported by several authors within the last few years, EMA has not been yet recognized as a definite epileptic syndrome. However, when strict criteria are applied to the diagnosis, EMA appears to be a distinctive condition that could be considered a myoclonic epileptic syndrome, with myoclonia limited to the eyelids, rather than an epileptic syndrome with absences.