What is Eye Twitch?
An eye twitch is an uncontrollable spasm of the eyelid muscles. A twitch occurs in both the upper and lower lids but usually occurs in the upper lid. This abnormal blinking may happen many times per day. If the eye twitching persists for days or longer, it can affect your vision. Although, these spasms are very mild and feel like a gentle tug on the eyelid. The spasm can be strong enough to force both eyelids to close completely. This stage of the condition is called (blepharospasm).
An eye twitch which is also known as a myokymia, can be unpredictable. It occurs off and on for several days and might likely not experience any twitching for weeks or over a month. The twitches are painless and harmless but will bother you because of the movement of the eyelids. Most spasms resolve on their own without the need for treatment.
Causes of Eyelid Twitches
- Lack of sleep: It can easily trigger eye twitching due to stress or some other reasons, not having a regular time to sleep may help to trigger eye twitching.
- Too much of caffeine: Too much intake of caffeine can also trigger eye twitching, too much coffee, tea, and soft drinks with caffeine can cause an eye twitch.
- Medication side effect: Taking a prescribed medicine or self-medication can also cause eye twitching. medication without getting medical advice is highly harmful to the human system, which may likely cause a side effect or even cause eye twitching. Always check the expiry date and side effects on the packet or leaflet.
- Too much of stress: Stress is the most common cause of eye twitching, spending more time doing a particular job or activity, and getting over your schedule time of rest or taking a nap or sleep at the appropriate time of the night can cause your eye to twitch.
- Alcohol intake: Too much alcohol causes eye twitching. Drinking beer, wine, or liquor can cause eye twitch immediately after you consume them.
Eye strain: Eye strain, also known as digital eye strain, is due to the overuse of computers, tablets, and phones for a longer period. Focusing on each of these devices may lead to eye twitching.
Symptoms of Eye Twitching
- Increased rate of blinking
- Light sensitivity
- Dry Eyes
- Vision problems (frequent twitching)
- Eye irritation (first symptoms of eye twitching)
How to prevent eye twitching?
- Always reduce your work to avoid stress
- Using different eye drops without prescription, which may lead to eye twitching after use
- Make sure you have a scheduled time to sleep enough
- Stay away from too much tobacco, caffeine, and alcohol
- Always use sunglasses when your outdoors to protect your eyes from the sun
How to stop a twitch?
- Find ways to relax
- Stretch and massage the muscles
- Get plenty of rest
- Do not worry about a twitch, because it is harmless
Stages to visit an eye doctor
- When you think a prescribed medication may be the cause of eye twitching
- Having a twitch in more than one place should see the doctor as soon as possible
- The affected area feels stiff or weak should also seek medical attention
- If the twitch persist more than two weeks