Eyelid twitching or eye twitching (also called blepharospasms) can be embarrassing, inconvenient, and downright annoying. It can also seem scary when you have never experienced it before. Eyelid twitching is an involuntary muscle contraction that can have many causes, including eyestrain, fatigue, dry eyes. excessive use of stimulants (such as coffee or medications), dehydration, or excessive alcohol use, but the main cause is stress. Regardless of the cause, don’t panic. You have several options available to stop eye and eyelid twitching.
Start with hard blinking. Shut your eyes as tight as you can. Then open them up as wide as possible. Continue this type of blinking until your eyes begin producing tears. Stop immediately if you experience pain or if the twitching becomes significantly worse.
Doing this in quick succession spreads tear film evenly. This will cause relief by hydrating the eye, resting the lid, stretching the eye and facial muscles, and increasing eye circulation.
Relax your eyes with an eye massage. Lightly massage your bottom eyelids in a circular motion using your middle fingers. Massage the lid of the twitching eye for approximately thirty seconds. To prevent irritation or infection, be sure your hands and face are clean first.
This method has shown results with increasing circulation as well as stimulating and strengthening muscles.
Blink for thirty seconds. Try to do this with adequate speed. You should also make the movements very light. Imagine that your eyelashes are butterfly wings. The process of blinking is extremely important to your eyes. It relaxes most of the eye muscles, as well as lubricating and cleansing the eyeballs, which can stop the twitching. Stop immediately if you experience pain or if the twitching becomes significantly worse.
Close your eyelids halfway down. You will notice that your upper eyelids constantly tremble with different amplitude. Concentrate your efforts on stopping this trembling.
By squinting and helping visual acuity, you place less strain on the eyes. This may help a twitch resulting from a tired eye.
Exercise eyes with eye squeezing. Close your eyes for one full minute. During this time, squeeze your eyes shut more tightly then release without actually opening them. Perform three repetitions before opening your eyes.
This exercise can lubricate eyes by increasing tear production. In addition to helping with twitching, you can use the exercise to keep eye muscles strong.
Give yourself an acupressure massage. Use the above image to locate the acupressure points around your eye. Massage each point lightly in a circular motion for 5-10 seconds before moving to the next. Once you finish the sequence, start again from the beginning. Repeat for approximately two minutes.
For a similar acupressure technique, place your index and middle fingers on your eyebrows. Press gently and rotate them on the edges of your eye socket bone for five minutes.
Acupressure methods help eye twitching by increasing circulation to the eye while the closed lid allows tear film to hydrate the eye.
To prevent irritation or infection, ensure your hands and face are clean first.
Try eye hydrotherapy techniques. Alternate between splashing your closed eyes with cold and then warm water. The cold water will constrict blood vessels, and the warm water will dilate the same vessels. This process will help increase circulation and blood flow to the eye, which can help with twitching.
You can also run a wet ice cube over the eyelid before splashing with warm water as opposed to alternating between warm and cold water. Repeat the process 7-8 times.
Limit caffeine and other stimulant intake. Too much coffee, soda, or even stimulant medications can lead to eye twitching. Try cutting back on your intake. Consult with your doctor first before altering your dose of any prescribed medications, though.
Stay hydrated. Dehydration can cause eye twitching. Try increasing your water intake. Aim for 8-10 glasses of water per day.
Get more sleep. General fatigue can lead to dry, tired eyes and result in more occurrences of eye twitching. Try to get a full 7-8 hours of sleep each night. Also, limit your use of electronic screens such as TVs, mobile devices, and computer screens leading up to bedtime.
If your doctor suspects that a brain or nerve disorder is responsible for eye twitching (such as Parkinson's disease or Tourette syndrome), he or she will examine you for other common signs. The eye doctor may refer you to a neurologist or other specialist.
Make sure you discuss your current supplements, medications, exercise routine, and diet with your doctor when you go.
Discuss supplements. Your doctor may run tests to measure your vitamin, mineral, and electrolyte levels since certain deficiencies (such as calcium) can cause eye twitching. Based on the test results, your doctor may prescribe something as simple as an over-the-counter supplement.
Discuss treatment options. If you experience chronic, benign eye twitching, your doctor may discuss several treatment options. Botulinum toxin (Botox™ or Xeomin) is the most commonly recommended treatment. For mild cases, your doctor may also recommend medications such as Clonazepam, Lorazepam, Trihexyphenidyl, or another muscle relaxant.
If other treatment options fail, your doctor may discuss surgical options as well. Around 75-85% of patients who experience benign eye twitching benefit from myectomy. For this procedure, a surgeon removes some of the muscles and nerves in the affected eyelids. However, this is not a common treatment, as botulinum toxin injections are usually sufficient.
What does it mean if I feel my eye twitching, but no one else can see it?
Most eye twitching is not visible to other people and feels far more dramatic than it looks. Just because other people can't see it does not mean it isn't happening. If you feel your eye twitching and it bothers you, follow the steps in this article.
How can I stop eye twitching that has been going on for over a week?
You can try the steps in the this article and make sure that you are getting enough sleep. If all that doesn't help, then you should probably go see a doctor.
How can I stop my painful spasm?
If your spasm is painful then you need to see a doctor right away as this can be a sign of something more serious going on. Pain is the body's way of letting you know something's wrong and needs to be checked out.
My upper eyelid has been twitching every day for a month. This is driving me crazy. Should I be worried?
I tend to experience "twitching" when I have a lot of caffeine. This includes anything from coffee, tea, and sodas, to chocolate in any form. I recommend cutting out caffeine entirely for 3-4 days and see if it resolves itself.
Why is it a concern when my upper eyelid droops?
It can be a sign of a nervous system condition or a vitamin, mineral, or electrolyte deficiency as described in the article. See your doctor if you experience drooping.
My eyes have been twitching for over 6 hours. Should I be worried?
See a doctor to resolve your question. While it often goes away, if you have any concerns, it's important to speak with a medical professional.
My doctor says eye twitching is not a disease. What can I do?
Eye twitching by itself is not a disease. However, it is a very annoying and frustrating experience, and may be a symptom of another problem. Most commonly, it is associated with stress, fatigue, and caffeine consumption. Try reducing your caffeine intake, getting more sleep, and taking more time to relax and de-stress.
How do I stop my left eye twitch?
Keep following the steps in this article. If they don't work, see a doctor. If the twitching continues for more than a month, see a doctor.
What is causing my eye to twitch and how do I prevent it?
Here are some possible causes: stress, lack of sleep, computer eye strain (or any other eye strain), fatigue, staring, excessive amounts of caffeine or alcohol, eye injury/neurological problems. You need to treat this eye twitching in simple, natural ways. Cut the amount of coffee to a maximum of 1 cup a day and don't drink too much alcohol.
My right eye has been twitching for over two weeks now. I drink coffee here and there, but not too often, and I do get over 11 hours of sleep. What could be the problem?
I often get an eye twitch when I'm stressed. Even if I'm getting plenty of sleep and cut out coffee it will persist until whatever stressed me out has sufficiently passed. Perhaps this is what is causing your twitch as well.
Does anybody experienced upper eyelid twitching just from eating garlic in daily basis?
Botox has not helped my eye twitches! What can I do?
What do I do if one of my eyes has been twitching for about a week and nothing is stopping it?
When I blink, I don't just do it naturally I have to purposely blink. And you always feel the need to blink my right eye by not my left? It's been troubling me for about 2-3 years now.
Exercises that will help relax your eyes.
To stop eye twitching, start by shutting your eyes as tight as you can and opening them up as wide as possible, then continue hard blinking until your eyes begin to produce tears. If that doesn't work, try lightly massaging your bottom eyelids in a circular motion for about 30 seconds using your middle fingers. You can also try blinking quickly for about 30 seconds to relieve eye twitching! For tips on preventing eye twitching, read on!
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"Trying these exercises now. Been suffering with eyelid twitch for two weeks. Thanks for the information."
"What stood out was some of the tips/steps to help your eye stop twitching. I will definitely try it."
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