DOCTOR, PLEASE HELP, MY EYE IS TWITCHING!

This was the alarming cry of one my innocent patients who has been undergoing a critical condition of eye twitching. She told me that her left eyelid had been twitching for several weeks, and it was driving her crazy. The twitching has become noticeable to people around her and she now wants a solution.

To find a solution for twitching eyes, the first step is to determine the underlying cause of this annoying problem called “myokymia” .These rippling muscle contractions in an eyelid can be triggered by several conditions.

Almost all sudden-onset eyelid twitching is benign, meaning the condition is not serious or not a sign of a medical problem. However, this kind of eye twitching can also be hard to treat. The only option for making the twitch stop is to figure out, and deal with the cause.

Some of the common causes of eye twitching include:

Stress: While under stress, our bodies react in different ways. Eye twitching can be one sign of stress, especially when it is related to vision problems such as eye strain. Reducing the cause of the stress can help make the twitching stop.

Tiredness: A lack of sleep, whether because of stress or some other reason, can trigger eyelid spasms. Catching up on your sleep can help.

Eye strain: Vision-related stress can occur if, for instance, you need glasses or a change of glasses. Your eyes, without appropriate optical correction, may be working too hard, triggering eyelid twitching.

Computer eye strain from overuse of computers, tablets and smartphones is also a very common cause of vision-related stress.
If your eyelid twitching is persistent and very annoying you should have an eye exam, because you may need vision correction. If you spend a lot of time on the computer, you also should consider talking to your eye doctor about special computer eyeglasses.

Dry eyes: More than half of the older population experience dry eyes, due to aging. Dry eyes also are very common for people who use computers, take certain medications (antihistamines, antidepressants, etc.), wear contact lenses and consume caffeine and/or alcohol.

Caffeine and alcohol: Many experts believe that too much caffeine and/or alcohol can trigger eye twitches. If your caffeine, coffee and/or alcohol intake has increased, cutting back is worth a try.

Nutritional imbalances: Some reports indicate that a lack of certain nutritional substances, such as magnesium, can trigger eyelid spasms. Although these reports lack scientific evidence, I can't rule this out as a possible cause of eyelid twitching. If you suspect a nutritional deficiency may be affecting you, however, I suggest talking this over with your family doctor for expert advice rather than randomly buying over-the-counter nutritional products.

More serious forms of eyelid twitching are caused by neurological conditions such as blepharospasm or hemifacial spasm. These conditions are much less common and should be diagnosed and treated by an eye doctor.

In conclusion, eye twitching, is pretty common. Usually only the bottom lid of one eye is involved, but the top eyelid also can twitch. Most eye twitches come and go, although they can last for weeks or even months.

If your eye twitches persistently,  see your eye doctor.