Eyelid Twitches

Eyelid twitches are quite common and mostly benign; however, they are often irritating or somewhat embarrassing. There are more fast twitch muscle fibers in the eyelids than anywhere else in your body and when your general health is not quite right, the fast twitch muscle fibers will contract erratically showing up noticeably in the lids. Most eyelid twitches come and go, but some can persist for weeks. In order to relieve an eyelid twitch you need to understand its cause. Some of the most commons causes are:

• Tiredness – If you’re tired, give yourself a well-deserved break (this can include staying away from your computer screen).
• Eye strain – If you feel eye strain, you might have an underlying refractive error such as far sightedness, near sightedness, or astigmatism, so it’s important to consult your optometrist as soon as possible.
• Dry eye – If you have dry eyes you might have a tear film imbalance, a lid abnormality, a low grade bacterial infection or, in the case of contact lenses, a deposit buildup. Similar to eye strain, consult with your optometrist right away.
• Excessive caffeine – If you drink a lot of coffee, try to reduce the amount you have each day.
• Electrolyte imbalance – Electrolyte imbalance can cause a persistent eyelid twitch. In this case, consider a small glass of electrolyte drink or electrolyte supplement each day until your twitch subsides.

If your eyelid twitch persists more than a few days, book an appointment with your optometrist to determine if there is an underlying cause.