The Reasons for Eye Twitching

The Reasons for Eye Twitching
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There are many reasons for eye twitching, also known as myokymia. This is an involuntary contraction of the muscle around the eye. It usually affects the lower eyelid, and can be annoying if it lasts more than a few minutes. Thankfully, most causes of eye twitching can be easily detected with the right steps.

Muscle Spasms

Involuntary spasms of the muscles can be the reason for your eye twitching. Sometimes your body just decides to twitch without you being able to control it. Muscles spasms around the eye tend to only last a few minutes. If eye twitching lasts for a longer amount of time, it is likely that there is another reason for it.

Fatigue

Fatigue is among the most common reasons for eye twitching. As your body gets exhausted, your muscles are likely to start twitching in order to continue working. The muscles in the eyes are amongst the first to start showing the signs of fatigue.

A simple solution to this cause can be to take a break from what you are doing, especially if you are reading or staring at a computer or television screen. If that doesn’t help, you may just need a good night’s sleep. If your eye twitching is gone when you wake up, it is a good indication that you were just too tired for your muscles to properly function.

Caffeine

Caffeine is an additive that can cause your entire body to become jittery. As far as your eyes are concerned, the jitteriness can manifest as twitching muscles. In order to determine if this is the reason for your eye twitching, try not to consume any caffeinated beverages or foods within a 24 to 48 hour period. If the twitching is significantly improved or eliminated, it is likely that caffeine is causing the problem.

Stress

Having too much stress is another of the common reasons for eye twitching. Being anxious or worried over a situation can cause your body to do a number of involuntary things. Eye twitching is just one of these spontaneous actions that can occur. You can determine whether stress is the culprit of this condition by practicing methods to relieve your anxiety and worry. Yoga and breathing techniques are good methods for relieving stress – and hopefully our eye twitches as well.

Blephorospasm

Blephorospasm is a medical condition that tends to primarily affect females over the age of 50. It involves a constant twitching of the eye that does not go away with many different treatment methods. It generally involves both eyes, whereas other reasons for eye twitching will be focused on one eye. If left untreated, blephorospasm can eventually cause both eyes to forcefully close.

Home Treatments for Eye Twitching

One effective remedy for eye twitching involves applying a warm compress to the affected eye for 10 to 15 minutes every hour until the action has stopped. Another way you can help relieve the annoyance is by lightly massaging the area with your finger.

Sources

https://vision.about.com/od/sportsvision/f/eye_twitching.htm

https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000756.htm

https://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/eye-twitching.htm