If you have symptoms other than eyelid twitching, see your doctor
Everyone knows about myokymia, or eye twitching. There is even the phrase “my eye twitched”, with the help of which they convey the maximum emotional coloring of the situation. But do we know why this is happening?As a rule, twitching of the upper or lower eyelid is due to a malfunction in the nervous system. Most often, this unpleasant feeling occurs quickly, but just as quickly passes. It is quite another thing if this condition becomes obsessive and regular.
Eye tic is not the same as twitching, notes Ekaterina Abramova, neurologist and head of the Pain Clinic at the First City Hospital. During an ocular tic, the eyelid contracts completely or both eyes blink heavily. Twitching, on the other hand, occurs against the background of stress or overwork, after a systemic lack of normal sleep, and very rarely has a serious dangerous cause.
The eyelid may begin to twitch after prolonged sitting at a computer or reading a book for a long time, eye fatigue after gadget screens. At this point, the muscles that move the eyeball, raise and lower the eyelid, as well as the circular muscle that closes the eye, overwork. The muscles of the forehead and other facial muscles are tensed. In connection with this, the synthesis of neurotransmitters (serotonin, dopamine, adrenaline, etc.) in the nerves that are responsible for these muscles is disrupted. As a result, and twitching occurs.
Fatigue and stress also provoke a disruption in the synthesis and exchange of neurotransmitters. Therefore, you should not get enough sleep, get nervous or overwork at work — the eyelid may well begin to twitch.
In this case, if there are no other suspicious symptoms and the person feels well, there is no reason to consult a doctor. The twitches will pass as soon as sleep returns to normal and the nervous system is in order. Try drinking less caffeinated drinks (coffee and strong tea), spending less time in front of a computer screen, and walking more often in the fresh air.
Some drugs from the group of antipsychotics or nootropics can provoke eye twitches. If you are taking any medications, read the instructions for them. They may have side effects.
However, if in addition to twitching of the eyelid there is a fever and a general deterioration in well-being, we advise you to consult a doctor. Myokymia can occur against the background of thyroid dysfunction, deficiency of certain vitamins, accompany conjunctivitis and other diseases. If, in addition to the eyelid, a part of the face also twitches (for example, the corner of the mouth) and the twitches themselves become longer and more painful, you should definitely contact a neurologist.