Eye Twitching Causes and Treatment

Should I be worried about my eye twitching?

For the majority of us, the common eyelid twitch is a brief and minor annoyance. An eyelid twitch (or tic) is when you have a spasm or slight movement of your upper or lower eyelid. It comes on suddenly, and can last for a minute, hours, days or even longer. If you've ever experienced an eye twitch for an extended period of time, you know how annoying it is. 

Is eye twitching a symptom of a serious condition?

Most common eyelid twitches are harmless, slight, and do not affect your vision. However, there are some neurological problems that can make eyelid muscles contract, such as blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm. These less common conditions generally tend to cause the eyelids to close more fully and for longer periods of time, limiting or completely blocking vision. Other muscles in the face may be affected as well.

What causes an eye twitch?

When eye twitching lasts a long time or occurs more frequently than usual, these culprits are often to blame:

Sleep deprivation

Eyelid twitches often happen to people when they are overly tired. Settle in for a snooze and get some restorative sleep.

Stress

Being under stress can lead to a twitch. If you can’t eliminate something causing you stress, find stress-reducing activities to help get rid of the twitch.

Too much caffeine

Caffeine is a stimulant and consuming too much of it can cause eyelid spasms. Limiting your coffee, tea or soda intake may help to reduce eyelid twitching.

Dry eyes

In some cases, having irritated or dry eyes can lead to eyelid spasms. Try these strategies for soothing dry eyes.

When to ask a doctor about eye twitching

If you have ongoing eyelid twitching and/or gritty, uncomfortable eyes, see your ophthalmologist.