Q: Sometimes my eyelid twitches on and off for days — weeks,
even. It’s distracting and irritating. How do I get it to stop? And should
I be concerned?
اضافة اعلان
A: Eyelid spasms, while annoying, are “rarely a sign of
something serious,” said Stephanie Erwin, an optometrist at Cleveland Clinic’s
Cole Eye Institute.
The most common type of eye twitch is a series of muscle
contractions called eyelid myokymia, which produces involuntary and
intermittent contractions of the eyelid, typically the lower one.
Only one eye is affected at a time because the twitch originates
in the muscle surrounding the eye, and not the nerve that controls the blink
reflex, which sends the same message to both eyes simultaneously, Erwin added.
The spasms can last from hours to days to months.
“If the twitching persists for a long period of time, or is
accompanied by additional symptoms, it is a good idea to be checked by an eye
doctor to make sure nothing else is going on,” she said.
If the twitching spreads to other muscles in the face or if you
notice both eyes are twitching at the same time, those are indications of a
more serious problem. Other red flags include a drooping eyelid or a red eye.
But if just one eyelid is twitching on and off, it is usually a
harmless (and often exasperating) case of eyelid myokymia.
As for why it happens: “Nobody knows exactly why,” said Dr.
Alice Lorch, an ophthalmologist at Massachusetts Eye and Ear in Boston.
Sometimes it stems from a small irritation, for example a
contact lens rubbing against the eyelid, she said.
But more commonly, it is stress, lack of sleep or excessive
caffeine intake that brings on eyelid twitching, the experts said. Dry eye, a
common affliction among those who stare at screens most of the day, is another
culprit. Studies have indicated that we blink less when looking at digital
devices, which makes our eyes feel dry.
There is no quick fix for an eyelid twitch once it starts, Lorch
said. But artificial tears, eyedrops that lubricate the eye, can help. Ideally,
choose ones that are preservative-free, because chemical preservatives can
sometimes be irritating. You can also try massaging your eyes in the shower or
covering your eyes with a damp, warm washcloth right before bed, she added,
which will help relax your eye muscles and open the glands on the margins of
the eyelids. This increases oil flow into the eyes and slows down tear
evaporation.
Other preventive measures include getting more rest and reducing
stress.
“Twitching is a signal by your body asking you to slow down,”
said Dr. Raj Maturi, a spokesman for the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Decreasing caffeine intake can also help prevent eye twitching,
because large amounts of caffeine can lead to muscle tension. Having one or two
cups of coffee each day should be fine, Lorch said.
It is also important to stay hydrated and eat a balanced diet
that includes foods high in potassium (potatoes, bananas and lentils are great
sources), magnesium (found in leafy green vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts
and fish) and calcium (try dairy, sardines, dark leafy greens or fortified
breakfast cereals), since imbalances in these minerals may lead to twitching.
Tonic water is sometimes touted as a remedy for eyelid twitching
because it contains a small amount of quinine. Quinine, a medication approved
by the Food and Drug Administration to treat malaria, has also been used
off-label to treat nighttime leg cramps, something the FDA says is neither safe
nor effective. There is no scientific evidence that tonic water prevents or
alleviates eyelid twitching.
Rarely, eye doctors will use
Botox to stop the twitching by
injecting a small amount into the orbicularis muscle that surrounds the
eyelids, but this is done “only in severe cases,” Erwin said.
Eyelid myokymia usually goes away on its own without medical
intervention, the experts said. For most patients, it is just a matter of
resting, taking steps to reduce stress, lubricating the eye and waiting it out.
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