Causes of Eye Twitching
In most cases eye twitching is not a sign of a life-threatening or serious health disorder, but that does not mean that your eye twitching should go unaddressed or that you can rule out the possibility without further investigation. Causes of eye twitching include:
- Vitamin deficiency
- Stress
- Fatigue
- Eye strain
- Sleep deprivation
- Too much screen time on the computer or television
- Allergies
- Certain medications and withdrawal from medications
- Caffeine
- Alcohol
- Physical exertion
- Eye irritation
- Pinched nerve
- Bell's palsy
- Parkinsonism (similar to Parkinson's Disease)
- Dystonia
- Tourette syndrome
- Other neurological disorders
- Genetics
When to Seek Help for Eye Twitching
It is not unusual to have a minor eye twitch at some point in your life. However, if minor twitching does not go away on its own within a few weeks you should talk to your ophthalmologist.
If you experience severe eye spasms, such as twitching that causes your eye to close completely or a twitch that is accompanied by other symptoms, you should seek help right away. Symptoms such as drooping eye lid, twitching in other parts of the face, or a swollen eye, along with your twitching may indicate a serious health problem.
If you have recently been in a car accident, fallen, or experienced some other physical trauma talk to your doctor about the possibility of a pinched nerve, even if you were not noticeably injured.
Of course, if your eye twitch is interfering with your vision or your ability to perform your normal daily tasks, you should talk to your ophthalmologist about solutions.
Treatment for Eye Twitching
The majority of eye twitching can be overcome with changes to your diet and lifestyle. This would include correcting nutritional deficiencies, getting more rest, reducing stress, and good computer habits such as taking a break from the screen every half hour.
If your eye twitch is caused by medications you must take, and underlying neurological condition, or other factors that cannot be resolved by diet and lifestyle changes, talk to your ophthalmologist about other treatments.
BOTOX® Cosmetic injections are the most common treatment for eye twitch and have proven to be a safe and effective treatment for most people. For more severe eye twitching, your ophthalmologist may recommend surgery.