Muscle twitching under the eye

Muscle twitching under the eye, also known as eyelid twitching, is a very common phenomenon. In many cases, this symptom will disappear on its own, but in some patients, it may take a long time to recover. In fact, eyelid twitching is a disease caused by abnormalities of the basal ganglia. Some bad lifestyles and habits can easily aggravate this symptom. So, how to treat eyelid muscle twitching? The following is some relevant knowledge for you.

1. What is eyelid twitching?

Blepharospasm/twitching is an involuntary, abnormal blinking or eyelid movement that may occur every few seconds or even result in eye closure.

The spasms may last from a few days to a few months, or they may appear randomly without warning and then disappear without a trace. Although not painful, it is annoying. For most people, blepharospasm eventually goes away on its own, but sometimes it can come back.

2. What are the causes of eyelid spasms/twitches?

Blepharospasm/twitching is often associated with malfunction of the basal ganglia, the brain's center for muscle movement.

Anyone can have blepharospasm, but the cause is often difficult to pinpoint in each individual person. Blepharospasm often occurs without warning, and sometimes the twitching will ease or even disappear completely after sleeping or distracting your attention.

Factors that are associated with the occurrence of blepharospasm and can aggravate twitching are as follows: drinking, caffeine, fatigue, irritation of the eye surface or the inner surface of the eyelid, lack of sleep, physical overwork, smoking, and excessive stress. Rarely, genetic factors may also play a role in the development of blepharospasm. Eye diseases such as blepharitis, dry eyes, photophobia, or red eyes (conjunctivitis) may occur before or at the same time as blepharospasm.

3. How to treat eyelid spasm/twitch?

An eye examination is recommended to investigate the cause of the blepharospasm and to exclude underlying neurologic disease. Although in most cases no cause is found, a diagnosis of benign essential blepharospasm is made.

Mild blepharospasm often goes away on its own, so no treatment is needed. Reducing stress, getting more sleep, and drinking less caffeine can all help relieve eyelid twitching.

There is currently no cure for blepharospasm, but there are several methods that can reduce the severity of the spasm. The most common method is to inject botulinum toxin extract into the eyelid muscle. This drug paralyzes the muscle and reduces the spasm. Therefore, drug injections often improve symptoms, but repeated injections are often needed.

For more severe cases, myectomy, a surgical removal of part of the eyelid muscle and nerve, may be necessary. This procedure can improve symptoms in 75% to 85% of patients with blepharospasm.