Understanding Twitching Eyes: Causes, Relief & When to See a Doctor

Involuntary twitching of the eye or eyelid can have many causes, according to the Mayo Clinic. Often annoying but painless, if eye twitching persists for a few minutes at a time over a week or two then your body needs more rest, less caffeine or a break from activities that strain the eyes. If eye twitching persists, becomes painful or distracting or is accompanied by discharge, it can be a symptom of a more serious condition and should be examined by a doctor.

Eye Muscle Fatigue

• Eye spasms or twitching are common when the eyes are physically tired or your body is fatigued as a whole. Staring at a computer monitor, television screen or small printed text for prolonged periods tires the eyes. If you are lacking sleep, are fatigued or have eyestrain, twitching eyes are common. Take a break, rest your eyes and get ample amounts of sleep to eliminate the twitching.

Internal External Factors

• Twitchy eyes can be caused by alcohol and caffeine consumption. Smoking and dry eyes caused by environmental conditions or allergies has also been known to cause involuntary eye twitching. A nutritional imbalance may also be the cause. Discontinuing use of products that cause twitching, treatment with allergy medications or eating a well rounded diet can reduce eye twitching caused by these factors.

Medical Conditions

• Persistent eye twitching that doesn't subside with ample rest, the elimination of alcohol, caffeine and tobacco should be evaluated by a physician. Benign essential blepharospasm (BEB) is a common blinking disorder that is often associated with dry eyes. Tourette's Syndrome is a neurological condition that is associated with uncontrollable eye twitching. Chronic eye twitching, when combined with other symptoms, is also associated with Bell's Palsy, dystonia and Parkinsonism.