Photosensitive Epilepsy

There have been a lot of stories in my news feeds over the last few days regarding the “Incredibles 2” movie and scenes causing seizures in those with photosensitive epilepsy. Disney issued a press release addressing it. I’m sure there will be lawsuits because there were no warnings. I’m sure there will be quite the backlash.

All of the press surrounding it has made me think about people’s perceptions of Epilepsy. I’ve seen it so much even in comments on these stories. I am truly glad that so many people who are ignorant to Epilepsy are able to be that way because they’ve never had to be otherwise. So many people only think of Epilepsy as convulsive seizures and many think that just because you have Epilepsy that strobe lights will make you have a seizure. A convulsive one at that.

The fact is that only around 3% of people with Epilepsy have photosensitive epilepsy. It is most common in children and adolescents and is way more prevalent in those who have my kind of Epilepsy… JME. (It is currently thought that about 1/1500 people have JME). It can be induced by many different kinds of flashing lights but it generally depends on the brightness and the frequency of the lights. Other factors, such as how tired you are, can also play into whether they actually cause a seizure.

Lights are rarely a trigger for me. However, I do find that when I am tired and watching TV in a dark room where the brightness of the TV is really intense and there’s something on the screen that is constantly flashing, I do begin to have some issues. Same with the movies. We recently went to see a 3D IMAX movie that had a lot of fast motion and I had to close my eyes through half of the movie.

For me, I have become aware of triggers through the years and while they are impossible to completely avoid it is easier to manage if you understand how to recognize when something is going to cause problems. For me, my eyes begin twitching and I begin getting a headache behind my eyes. I’m almost 40 though… not a child who doesn’t quite understand why these weird things happen. Some people get no warning at all. They just seize.

I likely will not go see this movie in the theater. I’m not sure that I would have anyway. I am glad that they have made the public more aware so that people can make more informed decisions. But for any out there worried about going to the movie and having someone have a seizure in the seat right next to you… the chances are pretty slim.