Gary E. Borodic, MD

Assistant Clinical Professor, Harvard Medical School,
Medical Director Associate Eye Physicians and Surgeons, Inc

BLEPHAROSPASM

A Career Long Interest

Dr. Borodic has developed a career long interest in the management of benign essential blepharospasm, Meige disease, facial dystonia, hemifacial spasm, facial paralysis and other related disorders of human facial movement. He served as the National Program Director for the Benign Essential Blepharospasm Research Foundation in 1988 and hosted one of the first medical school sponsored courses in the world on the pharmacology of Botox, botulinum toxin for the treatment of such disorders. Dr. Borodic has also worked in medications and unique surgical procedures for management of these diseases. These conditions were poorly treated in past years but now effective and safe therapy is available. The foundation for therapy requires expertise in botulinum toxin, surgical anatomy and procedures and certain medicinal agents. More recently a brow fixation pin procedure, developed originally by Dr. Borodic, has been used for patients who have not been responsive to conventional therapy. Dr. Borodic is a skilled surgeon with extensive experience managing blepharospasm and related disorders.

Focus on Blepharospasm and Related Disorders

A career focus of Dr. Borodic’s work has been to improve the management of blepharospasm and related disorders.  These conditions include benign essential blepharospasm, hemifacial spasm, apraxia of eyelid opening, aberrant facial nerve regenerations with blepharospasm, and certain forms of facial myoclonus and myokymia.

Dr. Borodic, prior to becoming an eye surgeon, has spent substantial time in the field of Neurologic medicine.  He was a post doctorate in Neurology at Yale-New Haven Hospital and Yale University prior to completing his eye training at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary.  The combination here has provided Dr. Borodic unique background and experience to manage these conditions.  Additionally, Dr. Borodic has made major accomplishments in the field of pharmacology of botulinum toxin, the backbone of the therapy of these conditions.  He is credited for a number of pharmacologic accomplishments in the use of this material including composition, standardization, purification, administration techniques and understanding the basic pharmacologic dynamics of this material.  Additionally, the extensive background in eyelid surgery further qualifies him for the management of these disorders.  He is experienced in all facets of the eyelids surgery associated with the treatment of blepharospasm as well as championed new developments of surgical techniques and procedures for the management of these conditions.

 New Therapeutic Approaches

Dr. Borodic was the first physician and ophthalmologist in the Northeastern United States to use botulinum toxin as a treatment modality.  Botulinum toxin is now known as Botox, Dysport, Myobloc and Xeomin.  He has historically published and pioneered advancements on issues regarding administration technique, application dosing, safety issues, pharmaceutical design, chemical composition and production relative to clinical practice, and discovery on key new applications.  This has led to many publications and patents in both past and present. 

Patents and Publications Links:

Hemifacial Spasm Evaluation and Management Emphasis on Botox Therapy

Myo-osseous Fixation Procedure

Orbicularis Oculi Myo-Osseous Fixation

Use of Fillers as Adjunct Therapy for the Treatment of Lower Face Hemifacial Spasm

High Potency Patent

The use of botulinum toxin for regional movement disorders of the face as well as the rest of the body has blossomed over the last two decades.  Many articles have cited Dr. Borodic’s work in the basic science and clinical practice in these new areas inclusive of cosmetic application, cerebral palsy, spasmodic torticollis, spasticity related to stroke and other forms of adult spasticity, and use in human headache disorders.  (Link to Dr Borodic contributions to general neurologic use of BOTOX)