Eyelid Twitch

Medically reviewed by Ann Marie Griff, OD on August 6, 2018 — Written by

Kimberly Holland and Kristeen Cherney

Causes Complications When to see a doctor Treatment

Prevention Outlook

What are eyelid twitches?

An eyelid twitch, or myokymia, is a repetitive,
involuntary spasm of the eyelid muscles. A twitch
usually occurs in the upper lid, but it can occur in
both the upper and lower lids.

For most people, these spasms are very mild and

feel like a gentle tug on the eyelid.

Others may experience a spasm strong enough to force both eyelids to

close completely. This is a different condition called blepharospasm.

Spasms typically occur every few seconds for a minute or two.

Episodes of eyelid twitching are unpredictable. The twitch may occur off
and on for several days. Then, you may not experience any twitching for
weeks or even months.

The twitches are painless and harmless, but they may bother you. Most
spasms will resolve on their own without the need for treatment.

In rare cases, eyelid spasms may be an early warning sign of a chronic

movement disorder, especially if the spasms are accompanied by other
facial twitches or uncontrollable movements.
What causes eyelid twitches?
Eyelid spasms may occur without any identifiable cause. Since they’re
rarely a sign of a serious problem, the cause isn’t usually investigated.

Nevertheless, eyelid twitches may be caused or made worse by:

eye irritation
eyelid strain
fatigue

lack of sleep
physical exertion
medication side effects
stress
use of alcohol, tobacco, or caffeine

If the spasms become chronic, you may have what’s known as “benign
essential blepharospasm,” which is the name for chronic and
uncontrollable winking or blinking.
NEWSLETTER

This condition typically affects both eyes. The exact cause of the
condition is unknown, but the following may make spasms worse:

blepharitis, or inflammation of the eyelid

conjunctivitis, or pinkeye
dry eyes
 environmental irritants, such as wind, bright lights, sun, or air
pollution

fatigue
light sensitivity
stress
too much alcohol or caffeine
smoking

Benign essential blepharospasm is more common in women than in men.

According to Genetics Home Reference, it affects approximately 50,000

Americans and usually develops in middle to late adulthood.

The condition will likely worsen over time, and it may eventually cause:

blurry vision

increased sensitivity to light

facial spasms

Complications of eyelid twitches

Very rarely, eyelid spasms are a symptom of a more serious brain or
nerve disorder.

When eyelid twitches are a result of these more serious conditions,

they’re almost always accompanied by other symptoms.

Brain and nerve disorders that may cause eyelid twitches include:

Bell’s palsy (facial palsy), which is a condition that causes one side
of your face to droop downward
dystonia, which causes unexpected muscle spasms and the
affected area’s body part to twist or contort
cervical dystonia (spasmodic torticollis), which causes the neck to
randomly spasm and the head to twist into uncomfortable positions
 multiple sclerosis (MS), which is a disease of the central nervous
system that causes cognitive and movement problems, as well as
fatigue

Parkinson’s disease, which can cause trembling limbs, muscle

stiffness, balance problems, and difficulty speaking
Tourette syndrome, which is characterized by involuntary
movement and verbal tics

Undiagnosed corneal scratches can also cause eyelid twitches.

If you think you have an eye injury, see your optometrist or

ophthalmologist immediately. Corneal scratches can cause permanent
eye damage.

When do eyelid twitches require a visit to the

doctor?
Eyelid twitches are rarely serious enough to require emergency medical
treatment. However, chronic eyelid spasms may be a symptom of a more
serious brain or nervous system disorder.

You may need to see your doctor if you’re having chronic eyelid spasms
along with any of the following symptoms:

Your eye is red, swollen, or has an unusual discharge.

Your upper eyelid is drooping.
 Your eyelid completely closes each time your eyelids twitch.

The twitching continues for several weeks.

The twitching begins affecting other parts of your face.

How are eyelid twitches treated?

Most eyelid spasms go away without treatment in a few days or weeks. If
they don’t go away, you can try to eliminate or decrease potential causes.

The most common causes of eyelid twitching are stress, fatigue, and
caffeine.

To ease eye twitching, you might want to try the following:

Drink less caffeine.

Get adequate sleep.

Keep your eye surfaces lubricated with over-the-counter artificial

tears or eye drops.

Apply a warm compress to your eyes when a spasm begins.

Botulinum toxin (Botox) injections are sometimes used to treat benign

essential blepharospasm. Botox may ease severe spasms for a few
months. However, as the effects of the injection wear off, you may need
further injections.

Surgery to remove some of the muscles and nerves in the eyelids

(myectomy) can also treat more severe cases of benign essential
blepharospasm.
How can you prevent eyelid twitches?
If your eyelid spasms are happening more frequently, keep a journal and
note when they occur.

Note your intake of caffeine, tobacco, and alcohol, as well as your level of
stress and how much sleep you’ve been getting in the periods leading up
to and during the eyelid twitching.

If you notice that you have more spasms when you aren’t getting enough
sleep, try to go to bed 30 minutes to an hour earlier to help ease the
strain on your eyelids and reduce your spasms.

Outlook
Eyelid twitches have many causes. The treatment that works and the
outlook varies depending on the person.

Research is being done to see if there’s a genetic link, but it doesn’t seem
to run in families.

Twitches related to stress, lack of sleep, and other lifestyle factors have
the best outlook. If an underlying health condition is the cause, then
treating the underlying condition is the best way to relieve the twitching.

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