Eyes are our doorways to this beautiful world. They introduce us to our surroundings and to the outside environment. When a child is born the first impression he imbibes is what he sees through his eyes. In our childhood, we all have played several games with our eyes including eye twitching and rolling up our eyes for fun! But what if this becomes out of control!! Sometimes it happens that we are not able to control the flexing of our eyelids and despite our wish to stop it, it keeps on happening!  Well as they say whatever is out of control is not an area of enjoyment but an area of concern!

What is an Eye Twitch?

An eye twitch is an involuntary blinking or spasm of eyelids whose causes and symptoms may vary from person to person. In most cases, it is a usual thing that goes away on its own but in some cases, it requires medical attention and is a sign of eye disorders

In layman’s language, we can say that Eye Twitch is when your eyelids move a little faster than normal. Technically speaking Eye twitch is an involuntary blinking or movement of eyelids. In the medical world, this condition is known as blepharospasm.

Types of Eye twitch

Depending upon the cause eye twitch can be classified into three categories

• Eyelid twitch or Myokymia is the most common eye twitch which occurs in people. In this eyelid, a spasm occurs i.e the eyelid keeps on flexing for a few minutes or a few hours or in rare cases for a few days too. The twitch can be in the upper eyelid or both. It usually happens in one of the eyes, but never in both. The good thing to know is that this goes away on its own without requiring any treatment.

• Hemifacial twitch is the twitch that involves half of your facial muscles including the eyelid. It can affect either side of your face but not the whole face.

• Blepharospasm is also known as Benign essential blepharospasm or BEB and can be defined as blinking or any other type of eyelid movement that you cannot control. Here abnormal contraction of the eyelid muscles occurs. It is a bilateral condition and normally begins as a mild spasm that goes away with time. But if it continues for a long time it may lead to forceful contractures of the eyelids. With time it may lead to blindness and forceful opening or closure of the eyelid. If this condition exists it requires immediate medical attention and one should not delay consulting an ophthalmologist. All treatments whether home remedies or medicines should be under the direct supervision of a medical expert.

Categories according to the Mythology

• Left eye twitching is when your left eye jumps frequently. In the world of science, it only means involuntary muscle movement of an eye but in the world of astrology, it indicates bad luck. It is said that something inauspicious is going to happen when the left eye twitches.

• Right eye twitching the same thing can be said about right eye twitching also. Scientifically it is just the uncontrolled movement of eyelids but it has got a different meaning associated with the spiritual and astrological world. Right eye twitching is considered to bring good luck to you! You will hear some good news or someone whom you like is going to visit you. This interpretation is different in different geographical regions and also varies in different cultures. In some areas, right eye twitch is also correlated with money. It is believed that if your right eye twitches you will receive some hidden treasure, maybe an increment in your salary or a hike in your property price or you do a deal that will bring a lot of financial benefits to your account

Causes of Eye Twitch

An eye twitch is a very common phenomenon and may have different reasons for different people. The most common reasons are

Eye Strain

In today’s life, mobile and laptops have taken a big chunk of time. We spend hours viewing the screen for our professional or personal reasons but this causes our eyes to get tired and fatigued.

The adverse effect of medicines and a few drugs

It has been observed that the use of a few medicines also causes eye twitch in the long run.

Stress

A most ignored but most important contributor to eye twitch is stress. Stress creates an imbalance of hormones in our body which casts a negative impact on our health. All of our voluntary and involuntary actions are under the direct control of the brain. A tired brain is not able to do this task efficiently and the result is the phenomena like an eye twitch.

Insufficient Sleep 

Insufficient Sleep is also a major reason for this problem. Sleep is a natural way for our body to rejuvenate and if this process gets hampered it causes ailments like an eye twitch.

Hereditary

Another cause of eye twitch could be heredity. Sometimes this eye twitch runs in the family and is passed on from parents to the offspring

Alcohol

Overconsumption of alcohol has been linked to this problem. Initially, the patient may not feel any problem but as the duration and quantity increase, uncontrolled facial muscles might be there causing eye twitch.

Treatment of Eye twitch

An eye twitch is a normal phenomenon and may disappear on its own without any treatment. However, the following things may help to give immediate relief.

Sleepwell

Good sleep simply reduces eye tiredness which makes the eye twitch stop on its own! On average 6-8 hours of sleep is recommended for an average adult

Lubricating eyes

Use any tear-inducing eye drops to reduce the dryness of your eye Caution: always check for any allergies ( Better to consult a physician if you are allergic to anything particular)

Break your screen time

If your profession requires long viewing of the screen then follow the 20- 20 -20 rule i.e for every 20 minutes of viewing the screen gaze off the screen for at least 20 seconds and rotate your eyes 20 times.

Also, Read – 6 Bewitching Blue Light Glasses Benefits You Ought To Know! [+ FAQs]

Botox injections 

Botox injection or  Botulinum toxin is an FDA-approved treatment for blepharospasm and has now been used for more than 30 years. A very thin needle is used to inject the botox into your eyelids and the strained eye muscles relax. This reduces the twitch and calms down the eye. They are helpful if your condition is severe but the results are temporary and work for a fixed period of time and you need to do it again.

Drink less caffeine and alcohol

One should reduce the intake of alcohol and caffeine both quantity wise and duration-wise. Say if you are having a habit of drinking strong coffee five times a day, you can reduce it to three times a day, and from strong, you can cut it down to mild. That way your taste buds also get satisfied and your intake also reduces. Changing this habit will automatically reduce eye twitch within a few hours. 

Taking Vitamins and Magnesium supplements

Eye twitch involves nerve tissue and brain coordination. The deficiency of Vitamin B12 can aggravate this problem. So adequate intake of Vitamin B12 and magnesium is beneficial in reducing eye twitch. Vitamin B12 is found in eggs, sprouts, and fish. Leafy vegetables are a good source of magnesium. Else one can go for the supplements available in the market. However, their dose would depend upon the deficiency level in one’s body. So go for the test of Vitamins and minerals if you intend to go for vitamin or mineral supplements.

How to stop Eye twitch Immediately

Apply a warm compress in the initial stage i.e when the twitch starts to begin and hold it for a few seconds. Repeat this 3-4 times.

Alternate hot and cold compression. Apply a warm compress and then a cold compress ( use ice packs) 

Wash with running cold water and you will see the results in a short span of time. However, it might vary for each person’s case.

Eye Twitching FAQ’s

Is Eye twitching dangerous?

Although eye twitch is a normal phenomenon and it goes away on its own, if it persists for more than a week then it needs your attention and you must consult a doctor as it may be a sign of other eye-related problems!

When to worry about Eye twitch?

Normally eye twitch goes away on its own without requiring any attention. But if it persists for a long time then a doctor’s consultation is needed immediately as it may damage your eye!

For how long does an eye twitch last?

Normally an eye twitch lasts for a few minutes to a few hours and goes away after a good sleep. Sometimes however it may be stubborn and may last for 3-4 weeks. Sometimes an eye infection or inflammation is accompanied by an eye twitch. This usually goes away when an infection is cured.

Is eye drop effective in eye twitch?

Eye drops or teardrops help in lubricating eyes and reduce their dryness. Therefore eye drops are helpful in reducing eye twitch in minor cases.

Is anxiety a cause of an eye twitch?

When one is anxious his muscles get affected. An eye twitch is primarily a disorder of eyelid muscles. So the answer is, Yes! Anxiety does lead to an eye twitch. But the good news is that it can be easily controlled by calming down your system. Breathing exercise, mild outdoor activities, or maybe light exercise helps in reducing anxiety and uplifting your mood thereby reducing its after-effects i.e eye twitch!

Is eye twitching a sign of pregnancy?

In pregnancy, lots of physical, hormonal, and emotional changes take place in the body. Research has shown that certain changes in the brain during pregnancy can be the cause of eye twitch. So eye twitch is common during pregnancy but is harmless and temporary. It goes away after some time and doesn’t require much attention.

Is eye twitch a sign of stroke?

Eye twitching all alone may not be the sign of stroke but it is one of the signs of stroke when viewed with other symptoms like balance, facial drooping or numbness, blurred vision, dizziness, or blurred vision. So eye twitch combined with any one of the above factors can act as a sign of stroke.

So that’s all about eye twitching we should be aware of. Hope this article helps you in understanding the eye twitch in a more significant way. And Congratulations! Now you know are an expert on Eye twitching! Follow the Specshut Blog to find out other articles like this!