Six One Six Vision Center

Blepharospasm, commonly known as eyelid twitching or tics, refers to the involuntary and repetitive jerking of your eyelids. While you may often experience this sensation, it may indicate a more serious problem. Let your trusted optometrist from Six One Six Vision Center explain this condition for your understanding.

Causes

Eyelid spasms happen when your basal ganglion, the muscle-controlling part of the brain, develops abnormalities. While this problem’s root cause remains unidentified, a number of factors may contribute to its development. Constant stress, fatigue, and lack of sleep may force your eyes to work twice as hard, leading to their twitching.

Too much alcohol, caffeine, or physical exertion may also result in eyelid tics. Computer eye strain, dry eyes, and recurring eye allergies may cause your eyes to jerk regularly as well. According to your expert eye doctor, this condition may indicate underlying brain disorders too, like Bell’s palsy, dystonia, Parkinson’s disease, or Tourette’s syndrome.

Types

Blepharospasm has three general types. Eyelid twitch (myokymia) pertains to minor eyelid jerking, affecting only either the upper or lower eyelid of one eye at a time. It usually goes away on its own after some time. The essential blepharospasm, on the other hand, happens when your ocular muscles cause your eyes to blink faster than normal, eventually leading to their total closure and your temporary loss of vision. Lastly, the hemifacial spasm occurs when the muscles on one side of your face cause your eye to involuntarily close. This may also affect a part of your neck, mouth, and cheek on the same side.

Management

Management of blepharospasm depends on its causative factor, which is why it’s best to see our reliable optometrists for a thorough assessment. If we find working long hours on the computer makes your eyes twitch, for example, we may advise better time management or wearing computer eyeglasses when doing so. For more severe cases, we may prescribe muscle-relaxing medications or perform necessary surgeries.

If you have any further questions on eyelid spasms, call us at (208) 514-1858 or complete our form. We serve Eagle, Meridian, and nearby Idaho areas.