When Your Eyes Start Twitching and Jumping This Is What It Means…

What is eye twitching?

According to science “eye twitching as ‘a repetitive, uncontrollable blinking or spasm of the eyelid, usually on the upper lid.’ This involuntary movement of the eye muscle can affect one or both eyes and can last anywhere from a few seconds to a couple of minutes.  In some severe cases it can even continue on and off for a couple of days, which can be really annoying and then disappear suddenly.

What causes eye twitching?

Unfortunately, even doctors aren’t sure what is causing it. It’s usually linked to stress and fatigue and excessive intake of caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco. Eye twitching can also be caused by dry eyes, excessive eye strain, allergies, or irritation of the eye or the eye membrane. Often, it occurs without a specific cause. In general, these eye spasms are harmless and painless.

However, there are cases when eye twitching is caused by some type of neurological disorder, such as blepharospasm (an abnormal blinking or spasm of the eyelids) or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Blepharospasm, which is more common in women than men, normally develops in mid to late adulthood. Only in the US, there are around 2,000 new cases every year. 

Although not serious, the condition can worsen if undetected leading to light sensitivity, blurry vision and muscle spasms on the entire face. In the worst cases, the eye spasms can even close the eyelids for several hours.

If you experience any of the following symptoms, consult an ophthalmologist as soon as possible:

• If eye spasms last more than a week;
• If the spasms shut your eyelid completely;
• If spasms affect your entire face;
• If eyes  get red, start to swell, redden or you notice eye discharge;
• If the upper eyelid starts drooping.

A prompt visit to a doctor will rule out any possibility of a neurological disorder. If, however, there’s a risk of one, you’ll be referred to a neurologist or other specialist.

If the underlying cause of your twitching is not related to a neurological disorder, you should try to deal with the issue by reducing your exposure to stress and your caffeine intake. 

Getting more quality sleep is also extremely beneficial.  You can also try hot and cold compresses to relax the muscles around the eyes. You can even try acupuncture and massage to relieve the discomfort.