Eye twitches are repetitive, tiny involuntary movements that may make the eye close completely before opening. According to AllAboutVision.com, they are common and usually harmless. However, twitches can be an early sign of a neurological disorder such as Parkinson’s disease, especially if other parts of the face develop spasms. Causes of eye twitching include health imbalances, fatigue, eyestrain, dry eyes, eye irritations and allergies.
Lifestyle Choices
Too much caffeine can tighten all the muscles in the body, including the eyes, causing eye twitches. According to EyeDoctorGuide.com, eye twitches can also be caused by stress, lack of sleep, smoking and alcohol use—all of which impact the body’s ability to utilize nutrients and maintain balance and health. In addition, a poor diet may contribute to twitches. AllAboutVision.com reports that lack of certain nutrients, such as magnesium, may trigger eyelid spasms. Other lifestyle choices that may contribute to eye twitches include prolonged staring at a computer or television screen and wearing contact lenses for too long. According to EyeTwitching.org, eye twitching due to these lifestyle choices often but not always affects only one eye.
Benign Essential Blepharospasms
EyeTwitching.org explains that eye twitching that affects both eyes is called benign essential blepharospasms, or BEB. A spasm is a tight squeezing, and in minor cases it is mainly a nuisance. The cause of BEB is not known, but it is often associated with dry eyes, pink eye and light sensitivity. BEB can also be the result of an eye irritation on the eye’s cornea or the lining called the conjunctiva. According to Blepharospasm.org, dry eyes frequently precede, trigger or accompany blepharospasms, and they may run in families.
Neurological Disorders
The Mayo Clinic reports that eye twitches are rarely the sign of a brain disorder, and when they are, other symptoms will be present to indicate the need for medical assessment and treatment. Diseases associated with eye twitches include Bell’s palsy, Parkinson’s disease, cervical dystonia and Tourette syndrome. Blepharospasm.org note that eye twitches associated with Parkinson's and other movement disorders may be due to abnormal functioning of the part of the brain called the basal ganglia. In addition, the disorder may be caused by the drugs used to treat patients with Parkinson's.
Allergies
Many types of allergies can contribute to eye twitching, including reactions to pollen, animals, mold, foods, dust, medications, contact lens solutions or eye drops. Wearing contact lenses during an allergic reaction tends to worsen the situation. AllAboutVision.com explains that people with eye allergies have itching, swelling, watery eyes, and when they rub them, a histamine is released into the eyelids and tears that can cause twitching.
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