Twitching Eyelid

We can define eye twitching as abnormal spasm of the muscles present in the eyelid and its surrounding areas. As a result, the eyes start blinking uncontrollably. Medically, this condition is known as blepharospasm. If you are experiencing twitching in the eyelids once in a while then it is not that bothersome. However, if you get it quite frequently and is accompanied by blurred vision or sensitivity towards bright light, then it could be a symptom of some eye problem or any other health problem.

Causes

Twitching may occur either on the upper eyelid or the lower eyelid. However, the upper eyelid twitching causes and that of the lower eyelid twitching are the same. Some of the main causes are given below:

Eye Strain: When your eyes are working too hard, then it can strain the muscles of your eyelids. It can also be an indication that you need glasses or if you are already wearing glasses then you need to the number checked.

Stress: Sometimes, when your body and mind are under a lot of stress then the muscles of your body become tired and fatigued which in turn causes eye spasm. Thus it may trigger eye twitching.

Dry Eyes: Dry eye is a common problem among people who spend hours in front of computers. Besides, aging, wearing of contact lenses, side effects of some medicines are the other common factors responsible for this condition.

Other Causes: Heavy intake of caffeine and alcohol can cause excessive twitching of the eyes. Underlying health problems like neurological disorders, allergy and nutritional deficiency are the other causes for eye twitching.

Remedies

When you get mild eyelid twitching, then it can be treated at home only. Warm or cold compression and splashing of water into the eyes are excellent eyelid twitching remedies that can be tried at home. A good amount of sleep at night and bringing down the stress levels is also recommended to reduce the eye strain. Those who consume excessive amount of alcohol or caffeine must cut down on these substances.

However, if it turns out to be a serious issue and you find it difficult even to keep your eyes open then you must visit a doctor for proper treatment. Initially, doctors try to treat the problem with non-surgical method. Medicines like anti-epileptic drugs, tranquilizers, etc. are prescribed for oral administration. Eye drops are given to treat eye drops. Sometimes, botox injections are also administered to stop eye twitching. These measure may not work for all patients. Moreover, these are temporary solution. Doctors then identify the underlying cause and treat that condition in order to get rid of the problem.

When all the non surgical methods of treatment fail to show the desired effect, then surgery is performed in order to stop eye twitching. This option is availed only as a last resort and only if the problem is so bad that it interferes with the vision of the patient. Doctors have an open discussion with the patient before taking the final decision. The surgical technique is known as myectomy where incisions are made on the brow and eyelid crease for the purpose of removal of certain eyelid muscles and nerves.

Finally, I would like to tell you that if you are having the problem of twitching eyelid persistently, then you should not neglect the problem and visit your eye doctor for a proper diagnosis. Never delay the treatment unnecessarily by trying out any eyelid twitching remedy given in this article. The only way you can prevent recurrence of eyelid twitching is with the help of proper eye care. Do not forget to go for any eye check up once a year.