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My Eye Won’t Stop Twitching—Am I Dying?

Recently a friend of mine complained of a nonstop eye twitch, so, helpful friend that I am, I looked up “eye twitch” on WebMD for her. As is usually the case when someone with zero medical background consults WebMD looking for a diagnosis, this was a huge mistake. Of course I saw the early, so-called “most likely” causes—fatigue and stress—but I scrolled right past them on to the graver possibilities: brain or nerve disorders like Bell’s palsy, some kind of muscle disorder called dystonia, even Parkinson’s disease. Slightly panicked, I turned to my second-most preferred online health resource: the Mayo Clinic website. There I found even more possible diagnoses: glaucoma, multiple sclerosis,…

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Featured

 Eye Twitching: 4 Reasons Your Eye Has No Chill

It's a feeling so subtle, yet so annoying. You’re minding your own business when suddenly your eye starts twitching. While you probably just write it off as one of those things, there are actually a few reasons why eye twitching can crop up—and it doesn’t just happen to you.

 What on Earth Is an Eye Twitch!?

Twitching around the eye, which is medically referred to as eyelid myokymia, happens when the muscle around the eye — the orbicularis oculi — contracts involuntarily.

 Why is my eye twitching? Here are all the possible causes, and what to do to stop it driving you totally mad

“Why is my eye twitching?” – hands up if you've ever typed this into Google.. we know we have. Eye twitching is more annoying than it is sinister – that weird sensation of your eye blinking without you even moving it, very strange. You might just be working or reading, watching the television or doing the weekly shop and all of a sudden *twitch*. But why do our eyes twitch, and what can we do to prevent it?

 Why Is My Eyelid Twitching?

Eyelid spasms, while annoying, are “rarely a sign of something serious,” said Stephanie Erwin, an optometrist at Cleveland Clinic’s Cole Eye Institute. The most common type of eye twitch is a series of muscle contractions called eyelid myokymia, which produces involuntary and intermittent contractions of the eyelid, typically the lower one.

Articles of Interest

Why Is My Eye Twitching, and What Can I Do About It?

We’ve all been there. Out of nowhere, your eye starts twitching. Sometimes it’s the upper lid, sometimes the lower. Sometimes it goes away as quickly as it arrived. Other times, it lingers for days or even longer. So what’s going on?

Why Is Your Eye Twitching?

Eye twitching is incredibly common—almost everyone experiences an episode of it at some point in their lives, says Dr. Miller. "Most of the time it's nothing," he says. "It goes away in a couple of weeks."

Why Your Eye Won't Stop Twitching

According to the modern age's Oracle of Delphi, WebMD, most people will develop an eye twitch at some point in their life. Eye twitches happen when the nerves surrounding the lid misfire. These twitches can range from a light fluttering of the eyelids to a full spasmodic wink accompanied by a jerking of the neck or shoulders. Some people with benign essential blepharospasm (that's fancy doctor talk for persistent eye twitching) report being unable to open their eyes for hours at a time.

Your Eye Twitches Can Be Explained by Science, Sort Of

Payal Patel, an ophthalmologist at NYU's Langone Medical Center, says that we don't really know, but that some triggers can include fatigue, stress, and overuse of caffeine. Samuel agrees: "There's been a lot of effort over the years to try and figure out what causes these to happen. Everybody has their own personal theory but the reality is that they basically have a life of their own. They come and they go on their own. And there's no absolute relationship to anything we know of."

Resources

5 reasons your eye is twitching and when you should be worried

This relatively harmless phenomenon, called myokymia, is extremely common and usually resolves on its own without treatment, says Roger E. Turbin, MD, professor in the Institute of Ophthalmology and Visual Science at the Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. However, you should see a doctor if your eyes start to look red, you become sensitive to light, or you experience facial weakness or drooping.

American Academy of Ophthalmology

Most common eyelid twitches are harmless, slight, and do not affect your vision. However, there are some neurological problems that can make eyelid muscles contract, such as blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm. These less common conditions generally tend to cause the eyelids to close more fully and for longer periods of time, limiting or completely blocking vision. Other muscles in the face may be affected as well.

Benign Essential Blepharospasm Research Foundation

The Foundation is the only organization solely dedicated to finding the cause and a cure for blepharospasm and Meige. It is a volunteer non-profit organization that relies entirely on public and private charitable donations.