How to Stop Eye Twitching

The abnormal jerking of the eye muscles is called eye twitching. It is also known by other names like eye muscle spasm and eyelid twitching. The medical term for eye twitching is 'blepharospasm'. It occurs when the muscles of the eyelids or the surrounding areas start contracting involuntarily which leads to abnormal blinking of the eyes.

In simple words, it can be described as a form of blinking disorder. Usually, eye twitching does not cause any kind of interruption in the vision of the concerned person due to frequent closing of the eyes.

There are both internal as well as external factors that can cause eye twitching. Some of the most commonly found causes are as follows:

• Tired eyes often due to excessive use of computer for long hours or activities like working with microscope that require intense focus.
• Eye strain caused due to uncorrected vision related problems.

• Dry eye problem that occur when adequate tears are not produced to lubricate the eyes.
• Exposure to bright lights.
• Injury to the eye.
• Stress and anxiety.
• Neurological disorders.
• Fatigue or too much of physical stress.
• Excessive intake of caffeine.

Eye twitching is considered serious when the frequency of blinking increases abnormally and is accompanied by irritation. In some cases, the twitching becomes so strong that it forces the eyes to remain closed for few hours or days and one cannot see anything. Based on the severity of the condition, there are two different methods of treating eye twitching:

This mainly involves use of various oral medicines and eye drops. Muscle relaxants are highly effective for eye twitching. Anti-epileptic drugs, tranquilizers and some anticonvulsant medications are often prescribed by the doctors which need to be taken orally. These medicines work really well when the twitching is caused due to stress and anxiety.

When the root cause of the problem is dry eye, it is treated with the help of suitable eye drops that can provide lubrication to the eyes. Botulinum toxin or botox is injected into the area near the eye in certain cases to stop eye twitching. It paralyzes the eye muscles and thus control twitching of the eyes.

Some people may get the desired result with just one injection while others may require a number of shots after regular interval of time. Certain drugs may work only for some people and may be ineffective in other cases.

Surgery is considered as a remedy for eye twitching only in conditions that are very serious and when all other methods of treatment have failed. The surgery is called myectomy. The doctor often conducts many in-depth studies of the case, before deciding whether the person should undergo surgery or not.

The procedure involves removal of certain muscles or nerves from the eyelids. It is done by the means of incisions made on the brow and eyelid crease.

When eye twitching is not severe or chronic, it can be resolved with some home remedies and lifestyle changes such as:

• Application of warm and cold compression twice a day can bring about marked improvement in the condition.
• If your eyes are twitching after overuse, then splashing some cold water on them may help you to get rid of this tired eyes symptom.

• Many people have found that eye twitching has stopped after cutting down on the consumption of caffeine. So, you should minimize your caffeine intake too.
• If you are not sleeping properly at night, then you must get more sleep. You will find that the problem has subsided after a good amount of sleep.

• Stress management is an important aspect of treatment. Identify the real cause behind high stress levels in your daily life and try to eliminate it as fast as possible. Various relaxation techniques are there which can be helpful.

Eye twitching is very disturbing but is rarely a serious issue. If you get mild twitching once in a while, do not assume that you have to undergo surgery or take medicines for it. You can recover within a day or two with a little bit of rest and relaxation. To prevent recurrence of eye twitching in future, proper eye care and regular eye check ups are must.