A random eye twitch can last for seconds or for days, and can quite nearly make you crazy if it persists. Eye twitches can happen for many reasons, most of which eye doctors say are are normal.
Stress
We all become stressed and eye twitching is just one manifestation of how stress affects your body. Use deep breathing, exercise, or meditation to try to reduce your stress levels.
Eye Strain
Working on a computer all day and burning the midnight oil is very hard on your eyes. Eye doctors often treat patients complaining of eye twitches, redness, burning, and tearing that is related to eye strain. To improve this situation, employ the 20/20/20 rule. For every 20 minutes you’ve focused on a computer screen or your smartphone, look 20 yards away for at least 20 seconds. This allows your eyes to rest and change lens size, improving your eye health and productivity.
Fatigue
Your body needs adequate sleep to perform at its optimum level. Aim for 8 hours per night of uninterrupted sleep, and not only will your eye twitching improve, but you will be more productive and healthier in general. Turn off electronics an hour before bed, and make sure any lighted clocks in your bedroom are turned away from your bed so you can fully enter deep sleep.
Caffeine and Alcohol
If recently you’ve been imbibing in more caffeinated or alcoholic beverages, this could be the cause of your increased eye twitch. Both substances can cause involuntary muscle movements. For best results, drink lots of water and avoid caffeine and alcohol.
Dry Eyes and Allergies
Many patients with eye twitches also have dry eye syndrome which can result from allergies, eye strain, the natural process of aging, and contact lens wear. To make matters worse, many allergy medications contain substances that dry eyes out even more.
Nutritional Imbalances
Eye doctors have identified a possible link between twitches and deficiencies in certain nutritional elements like magnesium. Though more research is needed on this topic, it is never a bad idea to treat your body well by eating a diet of lean proteins, antioxidants and vitamins.
Eye twitches can be extremely bothersome, but are not generally anything to fret about. Treating the underlying cause rather than focusing on the symptomatic twitch is very effective. Consult your Phoenix optometrist any time you have a concern about your vision or eye care.
