Eye twitching

In India, a twitching eyelid is often considered a bad or a good omen depending on which eye twitches. At most times, it occurs for a few seconds or minutes. However, at times, it could be more prolonged. And this is when you need to take it more seriously. Here are top 8 interesting facts about the human eye everyone should be aware of!

Causes

Eye twitching (or myokymia, as it is called in medical speak) is an uncontrolled, impulsive and continuous contraction of muscles surrounding the eye and eyelids. It commonly affects the lower eye lid. The reason, why it starts suddenly and affects young, healthy individuals is still not known.

Read about 9 interesting things your eyes reveal about your health.

Risk factors

There are several triggers that have been identified to initiate eye twitching. These are -

Excessive physical exertion, fatigue and, most commonly, sleep deprivation and stress are some factors that trigger twitching of the eye muscles. Here is a mega-guide for understanding stress and dealing with it.
High caffeine intake, excessive alcohol consumption and smoking are also known triggers.
Staring at the computer screen or television for hours together or prolonged periods of reading can stress the eye muscles to a great extent, triggering twitching. Here are
expert tips to keep your eyes healthy.
Sometimes, the eyes get strained because you may need vision correction.
Eye allergies or common eye infections, such as stye, can cause inflammation, affecting the eye muscles.
Certain medications may trigger eye muscle twitching.
It is believed that magnesium deficiency may cause eye twitching, although there is no scientific evidence for it. Read about
five tips to protect your eyes from the sun.

Treatment

If the twitch is persistent, your ophthalmologist may give you a mild muscle relaxant. Sometimes, a local botox injection may be given. Surgery may be required when medication, eye drops and botox treatment does not work. Read more about BOTOX – Facts you should know.

Complications

Most of the times, eye twitching will stop on its own. You just have to be patient. But, for some people, it can last for several days together. If twitching occurs in both the eyes together, then you could possibly have a condition that involves involuntary blinking which can progress to forceful blinking (also called blepharospasm). It’s better to consult an eye specialist in such a case.

Here's 5 common vision problems your child could suffer from.

Prevention

Tips to prevent or relieve eye twitching are -

First thing you should do is stop straining your eyes. If twitching starts while you are working, look away from the computer screen for some time and close your eyes. Read about 4 easy tips to prevent eye strain and computer vision syndrome.
Massage your eyelids lightly with your index finger. Try blinking them hard a few times.
If it doesn’t stop, apply some ice on the eyelid or you could wipe your eye with a cloth soaked in cold water. You can also place cucumber slices on the eyelids to getting a cooling effect and relax the eye muscles.
Sleep well and reduce the intake of coffee and tea. (Read:
Why yoga is great for your eyes!
)

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