So your eye is twitching...
And not only is it annoying, but you're freaking out because you have no idea WTF it means.
1. First, determine what's actually twitching: your eyelid or your eyeball.
Most of the time it's the muscle in your eyelid that's contracting and causing that annoying twitch, says Schornack.
But if you're also experiencing things like blurred vision or periodic jumping of your vision "that makes it seem like the world is moving," that might be oscillopsia — a visual disturbance often associated with neurological disorders. If it's your eyeball that's moving, Schnornack recommends seeing your primary care or eye doctor to get that checked out.
2. Don't worry; the occasional eyelid twitch is usually nothing to worry about.
Eyelid twitching (also called myokymia) is the sudden, isolated, involuntary twitching of the eyelid muscle, called the orbicularis oculi, says Patel. It usually only affects one eyelid at a time, and although annoying AF, it's super common and relatively harmless.
In most cases the twitching doesn't last very long and will eventually end on its own. But Patel says it's also completely normal for the myokymia to be consistent over a couple of weeks, and that's typically nothing to worry about.
3. It usually happens when you're exhausted or really stressed out.
4. The best way to treat the twitching is to just try to relax your eyelid muscle.
So basically, shut your eyes when possible. Unfortunately there are no known remedies or medications to get rid of the twitch. But if it's becoming too much of a pain in the ass, Patel says you can try applying an ice pack to the area that's twitching. "Cold constricts the blood vessels and decreases blood flow to the area," says Patel. "This isn't guaranteed to stop the twitching, but sometimes it can help slow it down."
If the twitching is persistent and so bothersome that it's keeping you from performing daily tasks, Patel suggests seeing an eye doctor — who might even prescribe a Botox shot. "The goal is to find a way to relax the muscle that's moving," Patel says. "That's why Botox injections usually help and why it'll usually cease after taking a nap or going to sleep for the night."
5. If the twitching spreads or gets worse, head to a doctor to get it checked out.
The more you know!
