Seizures: The eyes open vs. eyes closed issue

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masterjen

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The going thought seems to be that with generalized seizures consciousness is lost and eyes are open.
But what about partial seizures? Or clonic? Or tonic? Or hemiclonic? Or for any other seizure type where conscious is not lost?
Now how do nocturnal seizures fit into the spectrum? If one is asleep and has a seizure which is otherwise not associated with loss of consciousness, do eyes open or are they closed?
 
Good question. With my complex-partials i stare (i am told). And then blink when it ends. but i know sometimes i just close my eyes and put my head down when it is a strong one.
 
With partial seizures, eyes would be open because consciousness isn't impaired (unless the person intentionally closes them in response to whatever the partial seizure is making them feel like). As Janus said, in complex partials, there is a stare so eyes are open. I have also been told by my daughters neuro, and seen in another child, that when seizing during sleep, the eyes still open.
 
Thanks, Janus and chmmr. I have both simple and complex partial nocturnal seizures. I know that during the ones I am aware of what's going on my eyes can be closed because I waken initially to intense tingling in mainly lower legs but also burning in my eyes, so after I first waken I immediately close my eyes again. So presumably this is a simple partial? . . . it really is very confusing, isn't it?? I see now why my specialist wants a video EEG.
 
Thanks, Janus and chmmr. I have both simple and complex partial nocturnal seizures. I know that during the ones I am aware of what's going on my eyes can be closed because I waken initially to intense tingling in mainly lower legs but also burning in my eyes, so after I first waken I immediately close my eyes again. So presumably this is a simple partial? . . . it really is very confusing, isn't it?? I see now why my specialist wants a video EEG.

Yes if you are aware of it, then it would be a simple partial. And yes it's definitely confusing!!
 
masterjen, simple and complex partial seizures are my norm, the best I can say though, all mine are during the day. My seizures are coming from the left temporal lobe... what location of the brain are the seizures coming from that mostly come at night?

Janus, I know well the staring mode during seizures. Well, I see everything but know none of it... feels like I leave the world and look back in. When I get down on the ground and curl up, then I see nothing. Interesting how we can feel very similar to others yet at the same time, feel so very different.
 
Simple-Partial, open. Complex-Partal, open. Tonic/Clonic, open. ;)
 
Simple partial open or flickering, complex partial open, weird jerky eye myoclonic open dancing eyes sometimes rolling all the way back into my skull, tonic clonic open eyes rolled back or closed (depending on if I was awake or asleep).

Q
 
During tonic clonics my eyes are open and rolled up and sometimes twitch ig, complex partials open but apparently I move them back and forth as if confused by my surroundings, myoclonics depends if I'm awake or asleep and open unblinking during simple partials. I do still blink usually during complex partials.

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I once had a paramedic tell me you can't have a seizure with your eyes open.
Someone had described the seizure to him.I told my doctor at my visit to get my stitches out was said and she's like YES YOU CAN HAVE A SEIZURE WITH YOUR EYES OPEN.

I've had plenty of nocturnal seizures were I just go back to sleep.
 
I've had most of my seizures while awake, but some while sleeping. With the CPs, my eyes are wide open. As others have said, I just stare for a few moments so others know I'm in a seizure because I get a "blank stare" look in my eyes. They get a glossy look in them. When I come out of the seizure, I get back to my "normal" looking self again. When I've had TCs, my eyes are in the back of my head. And I have had a few TCs while sleeping that woke my husband first. Several other times I've had a strange feeling when I wake in the morning, then I realize I had a seizure in my sleep. So my eyes were closed the whole time.
 
Cint - do you mean that a sleep seizure, even if complex partial or TC, that your eyes would be closed?
 
Cint - do you mean that a sleep seizure, even if complex partial or TC, that your eyes would be closed?

Yes, if the seizure occurred while I was sleeping, my eyes were closed. Several times I wasn't even aware I had a seizure while I was asleep. Either my hubby at the time told me, or I could just tell the following morning by the way I felt.
 
I will only have simple partials when my eyes are open. When I close them, I don't have them. Sun glasses and being in a dim room will simmer down simple partials during the session - but this is nothing but a pause button. You have to let the simple partials pass to stop the session. Kinda like pooping. You can hold it in - but it's going to come out eventually!
 
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