If you’ve ever experienced blepharospasm, the involuntary twitch of the eye, you certainly want to know how to make your eye stop twitching. First off, don’t panic if you can help it, stress often leads to the condition, and greater anxiety may make it last for longer. Being able to relax, and ignore the twitching eye may help the eye stop twitching sooner.
Most often, the eye twitches because of three common reasons. These are stress, fatigue or intake of caffeine. The condition usually lasts for a couple of days and then is gone. It is helpful during this time to try to get a good amount of rest, try to minimize stress and avoid caffeinated beverages. This can all help make the eye stop twitching more quickly.
Sometimes the eye twitching can be more pronounced. Instead of just a slight tic, the whole eyelid closes during the twitch. The most common cause associated with this involuntary eye closure is usually caused by injury to the eye, for example a scratch on the cornea. If you scratch your cornea, there’s no chance you won’t notice because it does hurt. Different forms of pinkeye may also make the eye twitch.
If the whole eye is closing with the twitch, you should definitely see a doctor. They can easily diagnose conditions like pinkeye or corneal scratch. Treatment will make the eye stop twitching, usually within a few days.
Another reason to see the doctor for eye twitching is if the twitching lasts for more than two to three days. In fact, if the twitching keeps recurring, you may have chronic blepharospasm. The origin of this condition may not be diagnosed, but it can be treated.
Treatments to make the eye stop twitching include injections of Botox®, which paralyzes the eye muscles involved in the twitching movement. For some this is very successful, and only one injection is needed. Others may need to repeat the injections every three to four months.
Doctors may also prescribe different types of medications to make the eye stop twitching. These include benzodiazepines, what we commonly call muscle relaxants or tranquilizers, and some anti-convulsant medications like Tegratol. If the underlying cause is anxiety-based, they may make the eye stop twitching.
When Botox and medications don’t work, surgery to make the eye stop twitching, called myectomy, removes some of the muscles around the eye. This can be effective but is usually only used as a last resort. Physicians try Botox and medications first before recommending surgery.
Twitching that occurs with other involuntary contractions of facial muscles may suggest several other conditions. These include Tourette Syndrome, and other disorders of the facial muscles. If you notice pronounced involuntary muscle contractions of the face that don't resolve, do see a doctor for diagnosis.
In most cases, you will never need to see a physician. Usually a few days of rest and recovery make the eye stop twitching on its own. Since one of the main causes is stress, addressing the underlying causes of stress might also help a long-term twitch. People with panic disorder report a high rate of eye twitching, and sometimes before big events people report eye twitching occurring. Once the event is over or panic disorder is under control, the eye stops twitching.
