What you need to know about a twitching eyelid
While the occasional eyelid twitch is usually nothing to worry about, if it becomes a persistent or recurring issue there could be a number of reasons why.
Eye twitches (known as blepharospasms) are the repetitive and uncontrollable blinking or spasms of your eyelid. It is most common in the upper eyelid. The frequency at which the eyelid spasms may be every few seconds or minutes and there are several factors that could cause or aggravate the condition. Common causes of an eyelid twitch include:
- Staring at a computer screen for long periods
- Tiredness
- Caffeine, smoking or alcohol
- Stress
- Minor irritation of the eye
- Medications
Most of these twitches are harmless and do not require further medical attention. Despite some annoyance, the twitch will likely go away once you remove the exacerbating factor.
While most eyelid twitches are a minor problem, if the issue becomes chronic and persistent there could be various underlying causes.
If the symptoms recur over a period of days, weeks or even months, you should visit an optometrist to help discover the cause and receive treatment.
This is particularly true if the twitch is causing emotional distress or problems at work. Should a twitch persist so much that it becomes winking or squinting and you have trouble keeping your eyes open, it could be for one of these reasons:
- Blepharitis (a condition where the eyelids become inflamed)
- Light sensitivity
- Conjunctivitis
- Dry eye
There are also some nerve and brain disorders that could cause uncontrollable blinking, such as:
- Parkinson's disease
- Tourette's syndrome
- Bell's palsy
- Multiple sclerosis
While it is unlikely you are suffering one of these conditions, particularly without other symptoms, it is always best to have them ruled out as quickly as possible.