I’m not sure if my eyes twitched before I became a mother; possibly they did.
But certainly prior to the arrival of my children I don’t recall ever having to the weather the pure, utter annoyance of an eye that tenses and spasms several times a day for weeks on end.
Yes – for nearly a year, my upper, left-hand side eye-lid has twitched. And it’s irritating. Brutally so, in fact.
I’ve tried gently massaging it; tried going to bed earlier, and reducing my caffeine intake. To no avail. And just when I think it’s gone (or at least getting better) it re-emerges to taunt me.
Thus I went on my own fact-finding mission to discover the root-causes of eye-twitching… frustratingly discovering that doctors and scientists don’t actually know.
Caffeine (check), stress (check), tiredness (check), screen time (check), and alcohol (check) are all suspects – but no one is entirely sure.
Here’s what we can deduct, however:
1) What it is
Strictly-speaking referred to as myokymia, it’s actually pretty common. The upper lid is more likely to twitch than the lower one. It will most likely last for few days, but the twitching can go on for weeks or even months. Remember to speak to a medical professional such as a GP or optician if the spasms just don’t go away or seem to be getting worse.
2) Contributing factors
As mentioned the likes of caffeine, alcohol, screen-time, stress, and a lack of sleep can all play their part. So examine your lifestyle and the likes of your diet and sleep-patterns. Make sure you’re making time for exercise, relaxation, and mindfulness. Your diet should be balanced and rich in nutrients. Book in an eye-test with an optician also – you might need glasses, or your current eyewear might need to be updated. Of course, the amount of time we spend looking at phones, tablets, and laptops can’t help either – so review your device usage.
3) Rule out the rest
Maybe your lifestyle is in good order – you’re rested, you’re calm, and you’ve a great diet. In which case you might have allergies to the likes of pet hair, or you could be suffering from hay fever. Don’t forget about dryness too: your eyes, for example, might dry in environments that have a lot of central-heating or air-con. Otherwise, dry eyes are part of the ageing process or can be the result of taking certain medications. Speak to your optician about treatment options.
Plus your options:
1) Time
Unfortunately – and irritating as it is to sit-out – there isn’t a whole load you can do about eye-twitching expect wait for it to pass after a few days or weeks. The best thing to do is the implement lifestyle changes (as above!) to ensure you’re less likely to experience a return of the twitch.
2) Injectables
If the spasm migrates to other parts of your face (uncommon but it can happen) and impacts on other muscles, you might decide along with your doctor that Botox is the best course of action. The Botox prevents muscles from contracting – and so therefore stops the twitching.
3) A compress
A heated compress – such as a face cloth rinsed in warm water – draped over the eye can quell the spasm. Alternatively go cold – thin slices of cucumber, for example.
