What is eyelid twitching?

An eyelid twitch is a muscle spasm in your eyelid that you cannot control. Sometimes the eyelid closes or nearly closes and then opens again. You may have problems with one or both eyes. You may also be sensitive to bright light.

Your eyelid muscles may twitch because you are tired or stressed. Drinking beverages with caffeine can also cause eyelid twitches. These twitches may bother you off and on for several days. This type of eyelid twitch is common and can be very annoying. Often, the eyelid twitch goes away while you sleep and starts again when you are awake. Most people do not even notice when the twitch stops.

Your doctor may not be able to find a cause for your eyelid twitching. If your eyelid twitching is severe, you may consider getting botulinum toxin (Botox) injections.

Your eyelids may twitch, or spasm, usually for a short time. You also may blink a lot.

If the eyelid twitching is new, your doctor may have you wait to see if it goes away on its own. Getting plenty of sleep or finding ways to relieve stress may help.

You may get treatment for dry eyes or inflamed eyelids, if that's causing the twitching.

If the twitching doesn't go away, your doctor may check for other problems. If the twitching bothers you, your doctor may give you shots with botulinum toxin (Botox). This may help stop the eyelids from twitching. For more serious problems, your doctor may recommend surgery. But this is rare.

• Get more sleep, which can help relieve eyelid twitches.
• Drink less caffeine. It can cause muscle spasms in your eyes.
• Use eyedrops to keep your eyes moist.

It's common for your eyelid to twitch now and then. It might be annoying, but it usually isn't harmful. It can happen when you're stressed or very tired. Sometimes bright lights can cause the twitching. It usually goes away on its own.

But sometimes the twitching lasts for a longer time. If this happens, your doctor will check to see if it is caused by another problem, such as dry eyes or inflamed eyelids. Eyelid twitching caused by a serious health problem is rare.