Eyelid myocytes: Why is my eye “twitching”?
You are talking to a friend, when suddenly your lower eyelid starts to contract and flicker. Then it stops, without warning, at an unexpected moment, the eyelid starts flickering again. We have all experienced this annoying feeling at some point, which if it has not happened to us before, may scare us.
The good news is that this is usually a small contraction of the eyelid, scientifically known as myocyte, which is harmless. It usually occurs in only one eye.
What should I do?
If the symptoms continue for more than a week, then it is advisable to contact your ophthalmologist, who will check for foreign particles, or dust on the surface of your eye, that could cause similar symptoms.
Why is my eyelid flickering?
This phenomenon can be caused by stress, fatigue, irritation of the mucous membrane of the eyelid or cornea and by overconsumption of caffeine or alcohol. Sometimes, eyelid flickering can be a symptom of slightly more serious eye conditions, such as: blepharitis (inflammation of the eyelids), dry eye, sensitivity to light. Very rarely, it may be a sign of a brain or nerve disorder, such as: Bell’s palsy, dystonia, Parkinson’s disease, Tourette syndrome. Eyelid flickering can also be a side effect of certain medications.
The most “common suspects”, in this case are drugs used to treat psychosis and epilepsy.
Many patients wonder if computer use is to blame for these symptoms, but the truth is that electronic devices are not recognized as the cause of eyelid flickering.
Am I going to be “ok”?
If no specific cause is found and the myocyte appeared suddenly, while you were anxious, then the treatment effort will be in the direction of “changing behavioral factors”. In other words, your doctor will tell you to skip this third cup of coffee, drink less alcohol, and sleep more.
You can also try simple eye drops of artificial tears, that will reduce eye irritation, will work more like a placebo, but are not an effective treatment.
In mild cases your doctor may prescribe medications, such as:
* Clonazepam
* Lorazepam
* Trihexyphenidyl hydrochloride
These usually only provide short-term relief.
Alternative therapies include:
* Biofeedback
* Acupuncture
* Hypnosis
* Chiropractic
* Nutritional therapies
* Tinted glasses
The majority of people with irritated eyelids take in too much caffeine, are stressed, or tired. Just relax, take care of yourself a little more than you usually do, change your bad habits for a while and the symptoms will go away on their own, just as they once appeared.
