subject: Eye Twitching [print this page] Eye Twitching Eye Twitching
Eye twitching can run the gamut from a minor, occasional annoyance to a serious impediment in your daily life. While it is rare, eye twitching can be a sign of a more serious underlying problem. More often, it stems from diet or lifestyle issues, including stress and fatigue. Eye twitching can also be hereditary. Once the underlying cause has been determined, there are many ways to stop your annoying eye twitching.
Causes of Eye Twitching
In most cases eye twitching is not a sign of a life-threatening or serious health disorder, but that does not mean that your eye twitching should go unaddressed or that you can rule out the possibility without further investigation. Causes of eye twitching include:
Vitamin deficiency
Stress
Fatigue
Eye strain
Sleep deprivation
Too much screen time on the computer or television
Allergies
Certain medications and withdrawal from medications
Caffeine
Alcohol
Physical exertion
Eye irritation
Pinched nerve
Bell's palsy
Parkinsonism (similar to Parkinson's Disease)
Dystonia
Tourette syndrome
Other neurological disorders
Genetics
When to Seek Help for Eye Twitching
It is not unusual to have a minor eye twitch at some point in your life. However, if minor twitching does not go away on its own within a few weeks you should talk to your ophthalmologist.
If you experience severe eye spasms, such as twitching that causes your eye to close completely or a twitch that is accompanied by other symptoms, you should seek help right away. Symptoms such as drooping eye lid, twitching in other parts of the face, or a swollen eye, along with your twitching may indicate a serious health problem.
If you have recently been in a car accident, fallen, or experienced some other physical trauma talk to your doctor about the possibility of a pinched nerve, even if you were not noticeably injured.
Of course, if your eye twitch is interfering with your vision or your ability to perform your normal daily tasks, you should talk to your ophthalmologist about solutions.
Treatment for Eye Twitching
The majority of eye twitching can be overcome with changes to your diet and lifestyle. This would include correcting nutritional deficiencies, getting more rest, reducing stress, and good computer habits such as taking a break from the screen every half hour.
If your eye twitch is caused by medications you must take, and underlying neurological condition, or other factors that cannot be resolved by diet and lifestyle changes, talk to your ophthalmologist about other treatments.
BOTOX Cosmetic injections are the most common treatment for eye twitch and have proven to be a safe and effective treatment for most people. For more severe eye twitching, your ophthalmologist may recommend surgery.
