An eyelid twitch also goes with the name Myokymia. It is a condition of repetitive uncontrolled contraction of eyelids muscles. Be it an upper or lower eyelid contraction can occur in any one of them. These sudden spasm in twitching condition are not severe, but are uncomfortable and cause irritation.
The spasms observed in eye twitching often continue for a few seconds or at worse, for a minute or two. Episodes of eyelid twitching are frequent but are unpredictable, and they can even last for days. The spasms may occur on and off and can become infrequent for a few months and then can return.
The twitches are harmless and painless but can bother you in your daily life work. Most muscle spasms usually resolve on their own and do not require any treatment. There are rare cases in which such muscle spasms can become an early warning sign for a chronic eye disorder such as facial twitches or uncontrollable movements.
Note: Sometimes a particular type of spasm can be powerful enough to let you close both of your eyelids completely. This condition is referred to as blepharospasm.
Most people confuse eye twitching with blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm. But, they are not the same, the latter two are neurological conditions.
- Blepharospasm– a continually developing twitching in both eyelids that becomes sustained and forced, and can ultimately lead to near blindness.
- Hemifacial spasm- it refers to an involuntary twitching on an entire side of the face, which begins due to compression of any facial nerves.
What Causes Eyelid Twitches?
There are no identifiable reasons for which eyelid spasms may occur, and as the condition rarely leads to a severe problem, it is, therefore, not usually investigated for probable causes. Nevertheless, eyelid twitches can be caused or made worse by triggers such as:
- Lack of Sleep
- Exertion
- Eye Strain
- Eye Irritation
- Dry Eyes
- Fatigue & Stress
- Alcohol Intake
- Excess Caffeine
Eye twitching can also be a side-effect of medications, especially medicine used to treat psychosis and epilepsy. And eye twitching is seldom the earliest sign of a continued movement disorder, primarily if other facial spasms develop too.
Note: Improving the sleeping patterns, proper lubrication of eyes and drinking less coffee can resolve a simple eyelid twitch without any medical attention.
Remedies For Eyelid Twitches
Mostly, eyelid spasms last for few days or weeks. If they don’t go away, you must try and find potential causes in your routine life to eliminate them. Although to ease up the problem of eye twitching, you must follow below-mentioned bullets:
- Get adequate sleep
- Drink less amount of caffeine
- Keep your eyes surfaces lubricated
- Apply a warm compress on your eyes when the spasms begin
As discussed above, there are notably rare cases in which twitching won’t go away. But if it doesn’t, you can get it treated with botox injections as they help in stopping muscle contractions. Also, you must consider visiting a doctor immediately in case the abnormal movement or twitching apart from your eyelids starts affecting quarter or half of your face. Such signs are a flag to some severe conditions.