Eye Twitching
Eye twitching is the sudden and involuntary, repetitive contraction of the muscles in the eyelid due to various reasons. This condition, which is also commonly referred to as "eye twitching" or "eye wandering", is called myokymia in the medical literature.
Eyelid twitching is a condition that almost everyone can experience and is not considered a disease on its own. This spasm in the eyelid usually goes away on its own. It can often occur due to fatigue, insomnia and various reasons depending on the person's lifestyle. However, it can also be a symptom of some eye diseases and various health problems.
These spasm movements, which occur as right or left eye twitching, can sometimes last for a few days at regular intervals, and sometimes for months. If the twitches last more than a few seconds and recur frequently for a long time, it would be beneficial for the person to be sensitive to this situation. In such a case, a health institution should be consulted for control purposes.
There may be more than one reason for contractions in the upper eyelid. While this spasm usually occurs in one eye, sometimes both sides may occur.
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What is Eye Twitching?
Eye twitching are sudden and repetitive spasms in the muscles that control the eyelids. Eye twitches are often seen in one eye and usually in the upper eyelid. In some cases, it may occur on both sides and on the lower lid.
The twitching, which lasts for a few seconds, is often mild. Most people describe this as a repetitive, soft pulling of the eyelid.
Eye twitches do not occur in a regular period. Sometimes contractions may occur many times a day, and sometimes no twitching occurs for weeks or months. Eye twitches are considered in several different categories according to their occurrence.
Twitches that occur occasionally in most people and occur due to insomnia, stress and lifestyle reasons are called eyelid myokymia. There is no need for any treatment in this type of spasms. It disappears after a while with certain lifestyle changes.
Continuous and involuntary contractions that result in complete or partial closure of the eyelids are called blepharospasm. Treatment is often needed in this type. If left untreated, it may cause permanent functional loss related to vision.
Hemifacial spasm usually occurs due to a vein pressing on the facial nerves. It is less common than the other two types. The spasm situation involves the muscles on the side and upper parts of the mouth.
What Causes Eye Twitching?
Eye twitching occurs due to sudden and short-term spasms in the eyelid. If these spasms are not very severe and long-lasting, they do not affect vision. It often occurs within a certain period of time and disappears on its own. Short-term and mildly intense twitches are related to the person's lifestyle and environmental factors. Fatigue and sleep disorder are among the most common causes of eye twitching. In addition, stress and nutritional disorders experienced during certain periods can also cause twitching in the eyes. Certain vitamin deficiencies and excessive caffeine and alcohol consumption can also trigger twitching.
The causes of left or right eye twitching are often as follows:
Stress: Stress Although it is a psychological problem, it is among the main causes of twitching as it triggers different problems such as fatigue, insomnia and alcohol consumption.
Fatigue: Disorders in sleep patterns and physical Fatigue that occurs due to certain reasons triggers eye twitching.
Disorders in sleep patterns:Sleep pattern disorders and the lack of rest of the muscles around the eyes in people who have not slept and rested adequately in certain periods. This may cause eye twitching. These people need to provide a certain environment and sleep pattern for adequate and quality sleep.
Excessive caffeine and alcohol consumption:Frequent and excessive consumption of alcohol and caffeine can cause eye twitching. It is stated by many experts why. In cases where twitching increases, it is beneficial to minimize alcohol and caffeine consumption. Especially caffeine and alcohol will cause dehydration and will reduce the amount of water in the body. In such cases, eye dryness and twitching are triggered.
Eye Irritation: Irritations affecting the cornea area and the inside of the eyelids can cause twitching.
< strong >Eye fatigue:Spending a long time in front of television and computer, and reading in insufficient light conditions cause eyestrain. Complaints of twitching due to eye fatigue are common. People who work intensively in front of the computer during the day should take small breaks every 20 minutes to rest their eyes in order to prevent this situation.
B12 deficiency:Deficiencies in vitamin B12 affect bones and muscles. may affect. This may cause various contractions in the eyelid.
Vitamin D deficiency: Vitamin D helps calcium absorption. Calcium absorption is important in relaxing the muscles. In vitamin D deficiency, twitching problems may occur as there will be problems in calcium absorption.
Magnesium imbalance:The cause of this situation is directly related to water loss in the body and may cause muscle spasms.< /p>
Use of tobacco and tobacco products: Smoking may affect the eye lens and retina, triggering twitching problems.
Blepharitis: Inflammation may occur in the eyelid as a result of the oil glands clogging the eyelid and the proliferation of bacteria in this area. As a result of these infections, twitching may occur in this area.
Dry eye:The main reason is the lack of moisture in the conjunctiva layer. The reason for this moisture deficiency is excessive evaporation of tears or insufficient tear production. As a result, irritation may occur in the conjunctiva layer of the eye due to dryness. This resulting condition can trigger twitching. Dry eyes can also be triggered by caffeine and alcohol consumption, contact lenses and the use of some medications.
Eye Allergy:Watering, itching and Redness is some of the symptoms of allergy. Some factors that cause allergies are contact with pollen, dust and some antigens. Especially rubbing the eyes causes histamine production, and this is one of the factors that trigger twitching.
Looking at bright lights: Being in an environment with intense bright lights for a long time and Looking at intense light sources can cause eye twitching.
Environmental factors such as air pollution, wind and sunlight:Air pollution, wind and intense sunlight can cause eye dryness and It can cause various allergies. This can trigger twitches.
Side effects of some medications: Various medications used regularly may cause twitching as a side effect.
Unhealthy nutrition: Twitching in the eye may occur due to unhealthy eating habits and irregular nutrition in certain periods.
Visual defects: The person has noticed this before. Untreated refractive errors can cause twitching.
What Diseases Can Eye Twitching Be a Symptom of?
Eye twitching may occur as a result of lifestyle, environmental factors and eating habits, and in some cases, it may occur as a symptom of various neurological and nervous system diseases. This type of eye twitching symptoms are often accompanied by other symptoms.
It is useful to consult a doctor without delay to understand the underlying causes of eyelid contractions that recur for a long time and increase in severity. Various complications that cause eye twitching are as follows:
Parkinson's disease and the drugs used: It causes uncontrollable tremors in various parts of the body, stiffness and contractions in the muscles. Parkinson's patients in speech. They have difficulty in eating and in arm and leg movements. The medications that patients use to improve their daily lives can cause twitching in the eyelids.
Facial paralysis: It is often caused by vascular occlusion or the pressure of the vein on one side of the face on the muscles. p>
Tourette syndrome:Although it is often a congenital problem, it occurs with uncontrolled movements and speech in the person.
Basal ganglia:It is an eye problem that occurs due to neurological reasons. These are disorders in the part of the brain responsible for movement control.
MS disease: It is a disease originating from the central nervous system. It causes fatigue along with various cognitive and movement problems.
Dystonia:It is a disease that occurs due to the incorrect distribution of signals in the brain to various parts of the body. It causes involuntary contractions in various parts of the body.
Cervical Dystonia:It is a disease that causes sudden contractions in the muscles in the neck and shoulder area. Another symptom is that the neck bends in a way that makes the person uncomfortable.
How to Treat Eye Twitching?
Eye twitching, although it may cause discomfort to the person, does not cause pain or vision problems. Twitches often go away on their own within a few days or weeks. However, after twitching lasts for more than a month, it may be due to various neurological and nervous system-related reasons. It is beneficial to consult a healthcare institution to investigate the reasons behind this type of eye twitching and to start treatment without delay.
The reasons behind short-term eyelid spasms are usually nutritional disorders, sleep disorders, eye fatigue and stress. Many people wonder about the answer to the question "How to cure eye twitching?" Steps that a person can take to relieve eye twitching are as follows:
Maintaining a sleep routine and sleeping an average of 7-8 hours a day helps the eye muscles rest along with all body muscles.
< /li>Regular and balanced eating habits ensure the supply of vitamins that are missing in the body.
Staying away from stress also prevents many other health problems.
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Exercising regularly
Getting rid of bad habits such as alcohol and smoking.
Reducing caffeine consumption
If there is a dry eye problem, artificial tear drops or certain changes to the living environment to do
Using sunglasses in seasons when the daylight is intense and harsh
Resting the eyes frequently in front of the computer and television
If eye twitching started due to an allergic condition, staying away from allergenic substances
If twitching is caused by the side effects of some medications, the relevant physician may find it appropriate to change these medications< /p>
In addition to eye twitching due to lifestyle and certain environmental factors, long-lasting twitches can be caused by different reasons. If the relevant doctor deems it appropriate, it can be determined whether the person's twitching is caused by any neural or neurological reason as a result of various tests and measurements made with radiological imaging techniques such as MRI.
There are some medications prescribed for twitching caused by benign blepharospasm Medications can reduce eyelid contractions. In addition, if the doctor deems it appropriate, he may recommend Myocotomy surgery to the patient. Thanks to this operation, some factors that cause hemifacial spasm can be alleviated.
If eye twitching is caused by a neurological problem, further treatment methods aimed at eliminating this problem can reduce or completely eliminate the twitching.
When to See a Doctor?
Although eye twitching is often caused by lifestyle and certain environmental factors, it is useful to consult a doctor immediately in the following cases.
- If twitching lasts longer than 3 weeks
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- If there is a significant sagging or closing of the eyelid
- If the eyelids have difficulty in opening during spasms
- If the twitches are accompanied by redness, swelling and discharge
- Spasms If it is seen on the face and other parts of the body along with the eyes, the relevant doctor will determine the root cause of the problem as a result of various examinations and analyses.