Eye Twitch?

Have you ever discovered your eyelid twitching for no apparent reason?

That annoying eyelid twitch is actually a condition called lid myokymia. It’s scary – and definitely annoying but benign. It’s the result of a simple misfiring of the neurons supplying the eyelid, and can affect either the upper or the lower lid. 

Actually, this kind of twitching isn’t limited to the eyelids, it happens in other muscle groups too. The cause isn’t completely understood, but it’s thought to be related to stress, anxiety, fatigue, sleep deprivation… or even just too much coffee.

While the twitch feels incredibly obvious to you, the good news is that it’s barely perceptible to other people. And you can usually make it go away, at least for a while, by using a cold compress and getting a little extra rest. Eventually, the problem will almost always resolve on its own, even though it can sometimes last a couple of weeks.

That said, if you’re concerned about an eyelid twitch that seems particularly severe or persistent, don’t hesitate to give us a call. Every now and then, eye irritation or a foreign body can cause lid myokymia. So if it doesn’t go away or you have reason to believe there’s more going on, you’ll definitely want to come in for an evaluation.

If it’s something that tends to happen on a regular basis, try getting more sleep and cutting back on the caffeine. Which is never a bad idea anyway, right?

David.