Eye Twitching

An eye twitch is commonly known as Blepharospasm, which is defined as a rhythmic and repetitive contraction of the eyelid muscles. Eye twitches often occur infrequently and randomly and will last for a period of a few hours to a few days. Eye twitches usually have no long-term side effects and disappear on their own, apart from a few serious cases.

Causes

Eye twitching is a relatively common phenomenon and may sometimes just be an indication from your body telling you to take things easy, of course this is not always the case.

Here are some common causes of eye twitching:

• Stress
• Tiredness
• Strain to the eyes
• Any neurological disorder
• Irritation or injury to the cornea
• Lack of sleep
• Hereditary

Symptoms

Apart from repetitive, uncontrolled twitching and spasms of the eyelid, eye twitching may also make you sensitive to light and cause blurry vision.

Treatment

Eyelid Twitch
There is not treatment required for normal eyelid twitching, as they usually resolve spontaneously. Using warm soaks, reducing stress and caffeine usage might help.

Blepharospasm
Medications, biofeedback, injection of botulinum and surgery may be used to treat blepharospasm. Biofeedback and medications are advised in minor cases or cases that do not respond to other treatment. The most commonly used treatment is however the botulinum injections, which may be injected into the muscles in very small quantities. This helps relax the spasms. The injection works for several months and only needs to be repeated when worn out completely. Botulinum is a very successful treatment with very few side-effects.

Hemifacial Spasm
The botulinum injection will prove beneficial in this too. There is also a neurosurgical procedure for hemifacial spasm which helps relieve the pressure of the artery on the nerve. This procedure is generally successful but serious complications are possible too.

It is advisable to call the doctor in the following conditions:

• The eyelid twitching does not go away within a week
• The twitching spreads to other parts of the face
• The eyes get red and swollen
• There is discharge from the eyes
• The twitching causes the eyelid to close completely
• The upper eyelid begins to droop.