It is common that at some point you have felt a palpitation in the eye, sometimes light, other times intense, becoming somewhat annoying. These involuntary tremors that occur in the eyelids are caused by a contraction of the orbicularis oculi muscle found in the upper or lower eyelid, the vast majority of times it is not a warning sign and they usually subside after a while. This time, Dr. Juan Carlos Espinoza, ophthalmologist at Clinica Ricardo Palma, will give us more information on the subject.

What causes eyelid twitching?

The most common causes of these palpitations are:

• Stress
• Anxiety
• Lack of sleep
• Physical exhaustion
• Eye irritation

How to avoid these uncomfortable tremors?

To avoid them it is necessary:

• Get enough rest
• Avoid stress
• Do not consume stimulants such as coffee or alcohol
• Take vitamin B12 supplements

On the other hand, it is important to promote eye rest, which implies:

• Reduce time in front of the computer, television and mobile
• Take your eyes off the screen every 30 minutes and look into the distance
• Gently massage the eye area
• Don’t stop blinking
• Maintain adequate light conditions (with a moderate intensity and distributed evenly in the room)

Recommendations

This eyelid twitching usually lasts a few days; however, if it persists for more than a week or is associated with fever or eye pain and redness, do not hesitate to see an eye specialist for evaluation and to rule out any underlying pathology.

It is important to mention that there is a minority of cases, less common, that are related to other rare pathologies, such as facial paralysis, neurological defects (less frequent) or infection in the orbit.

Dr. Juan Carlos Espinoza
Ophthalmologist at Clinica Ricardo Palma