Myokymia (pronounced mai-ow-KAI-mee-uh) is the medical term for eye twitching. It’s a common problem experienced by almost everyone at some point in their lives.
During myokymia, tiny involuntary contractions occur in a muscle of one eyelid. This looks like a “twitch” from the outside. Eyelid spasms usually happen in the lower eyelid, but they can happen in the upper eyelid too.
Types of eyelid twitches
There are three common types of eye twitching: general eyelid spasm, essential blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm. The types are organized by the severity of the twitch and whether other areas of the face are affected.
Eye twitch or tic (general eyelid spasm)
When you think of an “eye twitch,” you’re probably picturing a general eyelid spasm. This is a slight, temporary pulsing or flickering of the eyelid.
General eye spasms are usually unilateral, meaning they only affect one eye at a time. However, it’s possible for both eyes to experience a general spasm. Depending on which eye muscle is affected, you may have under eye twitching or a twitch in the upper eyelid.
Fatigue, too much caffeine or physical or emotional stress usually cause a general eye spasm. It is common, does not affect vision and will likely go away on its own.
While eye spasms can be annoying, they’re almost never cause for concern. They can last anywhere from a few moments to several days and usually go away on their own. In rare situations, spasms can last for months or even longer.
Eye twitching is a movement or spasm of the eyelid or eye muscles that can't be controlled. There are different types of eye twitching. Each type of twitch has a different cause.
The most common type of eye twitching is called myokymia. This type of twitch or spasm is very common and happens to most people at some point. It can involve either the upper or lower eyelid, but usually only one eye at a time. The eye twitching can range from barely noticeable to irritating. The twitching usually goes away within a short time but could happen again over a few hours, days or longer.
Another type of eye twitching is known as benign essential blepharospasm. Benign essential blepharospasm starts out as increased blinking of both eyes and may lead to the eyelids being squeezed shut. This type of twitching is uncommon but can be extremely severe, affecting all aspects of life.
Hemifacial spasm is a type of twitching that involves muscles on one side of the face, including the eyelid. Twitching may start around your eye and then spread to other parts of the face.
Myokymia can occur as the result of certain aspects of your lifestyle or due to conditions that irritate your eyes. Irritants can also cause your eyes to twitch more often or for longer periods of time.
Potential causes of eye twitching include:
Stress
Anxiety
Exercise
Fatigue
Caffeine use
Certain medication, such as topiramate, clozapine, and flunarizine, though this is uncommon
Dry eyes
Eye strain
Alcohol use
An outdated vision prescription
Tobacco use
Poor diet
Eye allergies
Dehydration
An eye spasm is rarely the result of an underlying illness. However, it may be present alongside some other conditions, including:
Brain damage caused by inflammation or stroke
Parkinson’s disease
Autoimmune disease, like multiple sclerosis (MS)
Head trauma
Brain tumor or lesion
These are very unlikely to cause eye twitching in the average person. Usually, if an underlying condition is to blame, there will be other symptoms present with the eye twitch.
Reference:
- mayoclinic.org/symptoms/eye-twitching/basics/definition/sym-20050838
- allaboutvision.com/symptoms/eye-twitching/myokymia
- allaboutvision.com/en-au/conditions/eye-twitching
وبلاگ تخصصی عینک شامل مجموعه مطالب پزشکی است که اطلاعات مفیدی در رابطه با عینک , چشم، لنز، سلامتی چشم و راه های پیشگیری از بیماریهای چشمی، کنترل و درمان آن را در اختیار شما کاربر محترم می گزارد.
