What Is an Eye Twitch?
An eye twitch is an uncontrollable eyelid or eye muscle spasm or movement. Your physician may diagnose it as blepharospasm. Your upper eyelid is more likely to experience it. Every few seconds, and generally only for a minute or two, the lid moves.
Types of Eye Twitches
There are three common kinds of eye twitches.
Little eyelid twitches are frequently related to commonplace factors like weariness, stress, or coffee. The membranes that line your eyelids (conjunctiva) or the surface of your eye (cornea) may be irritating if you also have this condition.
In mid- to late adulthood, benign essential blepharospasm typically manifests and worsens with time. In the US, just 2,000 people are given the diagnosis each year. It is twice as common in women as in men. Although it isn't a serious ailment, more severe forms can make daily life difficult.
Continuous blinking or eye annoyance are the first symptoms. You might become more sensitive to light, get fuzzy vision, and experience facial spasms as it worsens. Your eyelids may remain closed for several hours if the spasms are severe enough.
It may be caused by factors in both your genes and the environment, according to researchers.
More rarer still is a hemifacial spasm. The muscles in your mouth and eyelid are involved. It typically affects only one side of your face, as opposed to the other two forms. A facial nerve being compressed by an artery is the most frequent cause.
Causes and Triggers of Eye Twitching
A strange signal in your brain or in the muscles of your face may cause your eyelid to twitch. Commonplace events that may do this include:
Fatigue
Stress
Caffeine
Alcohol
Smoking
Light sensitivity
Some medications, especially those that treat psychosis and epilepsy
Rarely, but some nervous system and brain problems can also cause twitching of the eyelids. They consist of:
Parkinson’s disease
Brain damage
Multiple sclerosis
Bell’s palsy
Tourette’s syndrome
Dystonia
Eye Twitching Complications
Eye spasms might last all day for some people. These may last for several days, weeks, or even months. These could divert your attention and lower your quality of life.
If your twitch persists, you can constantly wink or squint and struggle to see.
Talk to your doctor if:
The twitch lasts more than 1 week
Your eyelid closes completely
Spasms involve other facial muscles
You have eye redness, swelling, or discharge
Your upper eyelid droops
Your doctor will look for further typical symptoms of the disorder if they think you have a brain or nerve problem. They might suggest that you seek out a professional like a neurologist.
Eye Twitching Treatment
Most minor twitches go away on their own. It might help to get plenty of rest and cut back on alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine. Use over-the-counter artificial tears if your eyes are dry or irritated.
Benign essential blepharospasm cannot be cured. But, your physician can provide symptom relief. Botulinum toxin is the most widely utilized therapy (Botox, Dysport, Xeomin). Hemifacial spasms are also treated by it.
To reduce the spasms, your doctor will inject little quantities into your eye muscles. The effect gradually fades away after a few months. You'll require multiple treatments.
Your doctor might recommend drugs such as:
Clonazepam (Klonopin)
Lorazepam (Ativan)
Trihexyphenidyl hydrochloride (Artane, Trihexane, Tritane)
These usually offer short-term relief.
Alternative treatments include:
Biofeedback
Acupuncture
Hypnosis
Chiropractic
Nutrition therapy
Tinted glasses
These therapies haven't been shown to be effective in scientific trials.
Your doctor might recommend surgery in some circumstances. Some of the muscles and nerves that surround your eyelid are removed during a treatment known as a myectomy.
A hemifacial spasm is brought on by pressure from an artery on your facial nerve, which can be relieved through surgery. The effects are long-lasting. Nonetheless, there is always a potential of problems with surgery.
Eye Twitching Outlook
Depending on the type of twitching you have and what's causing it, your outlook will change. The occasional twitch is innocuous and painless. Usually, they disappear on their own. Although blepharospasm is a lifelong illness, you may find that avoiding certain factors, such as weariness or coffee, helps to reduce symptom flare-ups.
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