Why Is My Eye Twitching?
Our eyes are protected by thin flaps of skin that are known as eyelids. We have the ability to open and close these flaps thanks to muscles in the face, and they help to offer our eyes some protection. They also help provide lubrication that helps prevent our eyes from drying out.
Some people will find that their eyes will twitch sometimes. This is usually nothing more than a minor irritation, and some people might not even notice it is happening. It can be quite uncomfortable for some people, however. There are various reasons why your eye is twitching, and heres a closer look at some of those symptoms.
1. Irritation
One potential cause of twitching is irritation. The irritation can be caused by a wide range of factors including allergies, chemicals, and infections. One such infection that can lead to your eyes twitching is conjunctivitis, which is quite a nasty infection that can lead to copious amounts of pus pouring from the eyes. Another potential cause of irritation, and one that is likely to affect a lot of people, is looking at a screen for too long. This is something that should be addressed because, if it is not, then the condition can become chronic. This would mean you have it for the rest of your life.
2. Bell’s Palsy
There are 43 muscles in the face. Collectively, they help us to communicate with each other in a surprisingly complex non-spoken language. For example, it is often very easy to tell a person’s mood just by the expression on their face. Some people, however, can find that they will lose control over their facial muscles.
Bells Palsy is a kind of paralyses that causes one side of the face to drop. It doesn’t cause symptoms anywhere else in the body, but the condition can lead to other complications. It can also cause the muscles to twitch, and this includes the eye.
3. Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is a condition that affects the central nervous system. It is a chronic condition and gets gradually worse from the onset. It ranges in severity and it can cause severe disability in some instances. It usually occurs in people who are in their 20s and 30s and is one of the main reasons for disability in young people.
Initial symptoms include a loss of balance, fatigue, and numbness, to name just a few. One of the earliest symptoms that many people with the condition experience is a twitching of the eye. In many cases, the symptoms are treatable so the patient is able to maintain a reasonable standard of quality of life.
4. Fatigue
We all get tired; its unavoidable. When we do get tired, we can start to feel quite groggy, and quite cranky. Our muscles will also start to feel tired and we will likely not be in the mood to do anything, asides from maybe read a book and then go to sleep. Another symptom of fatigue is that, for some people, our eyes will start twitching.
What’s more is that twitching eyes can also be a symptom of having too much energy. We cant really be sure why this happens, but it is thought that activity in certain parts of the brain might inadvertently cause the eye muscles to twitch.
5. Blepharitis
Blepharitis is the technical medical term for inflammation of the eyelid. The condition is caused by a range of things, including mites that live in facial hair. Other causes include medication, malfunctioning oil glands, and bacterial infections. One of the symptoms of the condition is a twitching eye. Depending on the cause of the condition, the symptoms can get quite uncomfortable, but it should not pose any real threat to the patient.
Twitching is likely to last for as long as the condition remains but, thankfully, blepharitis is usually fairly easy to treat. You should make an appointment with a doctor so you can get medication to treat the inflammation.
6. Tourette’s Syndrome
Tourettes syndrome is a rare genetic condition that affects approximately 1 to 10 people in every 1,000. It is more likely to happen in males and it can affect people from any ethnic group, and anywhere in the world. Despite its rarity, the condition is still quite well known, partly because of the way its symptoms draw attention to people with Tourettes syndrome. The condition causes involuntary actions by the patient.
This includes movements, and patients with Tourettes will also often say things out loud involuntarily. The condition can also cause spasms, and this can also cause the eye to twitch.
7. Alcohol
The negative effects of alcohol are well known. Too much alcohol can be devastating in the long term and alcohol abuse has taken many lives, while also destroying the lives of people who are close to the patient. In addition to serious long-term complications, alcohol can also cause some short-term symptoms.
One potential symptom of alcohol consumption is dry eyes and this can, in turn, cause our eyes to start twitching. Other short-term symptoms include dehydration, inebriation, and loss of coordination. While there are clearly risks associated with drinking alcohol, it is still fine to do so provided you do so in moderation.
8. Dystonia
We don’t yet know what causes dystonia in most cases. From what we do know, it appears as though it is a problem related to the part of the brain that is responsible for muscle contractions. This part of the brain is known as the basal ganglia and the problem is thought to originate from the way our nerve cells communicate with each other.
The main symptom of dystonia is that the patients muscles will contract involuntarily. It can cause the whole body to twist, leaving the patient in unusual postures. It might affect only one muscle and it can also affect whole muscle groups, while it can also cause the patients eyes to twitch.
9. Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative disorder that starts of mildly but can develop into a severe condition. Around 1 in 500 people develop the condition and it mostly affects people who are 50 plus, although a small number of younger people will also be affected by the disease. Symptoms of Parkinson’s disease include stiff muscles, involuntary shaking, problems balancing, sleeping problems, depression, and loss of memory.
It can also cause the patients eyes to twitch, and this is often among the first of the symptoms caused by the condition. The severity of the condition will vary and the symptoms can often be treated to help maintain the patients quality of life.
10. Medication
If your eyes do keep on twitching and you don’t know why, it might be down to medication, if you are taking any. Those that are most likely to cause twitching are those that treat mental illness and those that have an effect on the cardiovascular system.
This is down to chemicals in the drugs that have an impact on the central nervous system. While eye twitching in itself is not particularly serious, the medication will usually be stopped to help prevent the rest of the nervous system from being affected. You should always speak with your doctor if medication is giving you unexpected side effects.
