What is Eye Twitching, How to Treat It, What Does It Mean?

There's nothing worse than trying to focus with a nerve-wracking eye twitch that won't stop flickering all day. Stress and fatigue are the most common culprits behind the dreaded eye twitch—a recurring, involuntary spasm of your eyelid muscle that occurs every few seconds for a minute or two.

Other reasons include:

• Eye irritation
• Eye strain
• Uneven eyes
• Eyes that need glasses
• Medication
• Use of alcohol, tobacco, or caffeine

Several things can cause one or both eyes to twitch, and they can last for days to weeks. However, these types of twitching are rarely a sign of a serious problem. To help your eye twitching subside, we recommend getting adequate rest, reducing caffeine intake, and minimizing stress as much as possible. Eye drops can also be helpful if your eyes need moisture.

When it's time to see a doctor

If your eye twitching persists for a longer period of time or becomes particularly bothersome, we recommend visiting an ophthalmologist to make sure it's not something more serious.

Seek an evaluation if you notice any of these four signs:

• Symptoms such as weakness, drooping or double vision.
• Your eyes begin to look red.
• If you feel like you have something in your eye or you become sensitive to light
• Your vision is changing.

Eyelid twitching can sometimes be part of spastic conditions affecting the eyes, such as essential blepharospasm or hemifacial spasm. Very rarely, eyelid spasms are a symptom of a more serious brain or nerve disorder. In these rare cases, eyelid spasms may be an early warning sign of a chronic movement disorder, especially if the spasms are accompanied by other facial twitching or uncontrollable movements.

While serious complications are rare, patients who find these benign twitching very bothersome may find rapid improvement with just a few injections. So, if your symptoms are bothersome, it's worth coming in for an evaluation.