Eye Twitch
My left eye started twitching yesterday morning, and has continued almost unabated for about 30 hours. Of course I finally Googled “eye twitch”, and I was stunned to learn that eye twitches “usually stop within a week“. I was hoping for a matter of hours!
Update (April 8th): I originally posted this 9 days ago, and the twitch hasn’t gone away. I’m getting sort of used to it now though; like an old friend. I guess it’s time to ’see somebody’ about it. *sigh*
Update (April 23rd): Okay, now it’s really starting to get annoying. This eye twitch still hasn’t gone away! Before you ask, no, I haven’t gone to the doctor about it… I would feel so lame telling a doctor that my eye is twitching – that’s my problem. I’ll give it one more week.
March 31st, 2005 at
Hey twitch!
I hope it goes away soon.
Love you!
March 31st, 2005 at
Ha ha, I hate that! I get them too… sometimes in my eyelids and sometimes in the muscles in my arms. Someone told me (I think it was actually Tom D.) that these are caused by dehyrdration. It does go along with the caffiene theory, as caffiene does dehydrate you a bit… at least enough to negate the water in the coffee or pop. I’m not sure if pounding the water now will make it go away, but I find that drinking more water helps keep those annoying twitches away!!
March 31st, 2005 at
I remember Fran telling me that, and yet somehow I’ve forgotten to drink more water over the past 2 days. I must go get H2O!
June 12th, 2005 at
Hey, I came upon this via google. Like you, I did the rounds on google as well and came upon nothing. You are certainly not alone. I’ve had this for almost 3 weeks now and it comes and goes. I’ve been a bit worried about it but, i’ve grown accustomed to it. It’s my left eye as well..specifically right above my eyelid.
I’ve read that it could be a multitude of things, from dehydration, lack of vitamins/electrolytes, spending too much time on the computer, stress, fatigue, to even a brain tumor (not trying to scare you.) I am hoping it’s one of/a combination of anything but the last one.
You haven’t updated this since the 23rd of April. I wonder if you found out the root of your problem.
Sincerely,
A Passer By
June 14th, 2005 at
I have the same problem, my left eye has been twitching for about a month now and it is driving me crazy. I haven’t gone to the doctor either, not sure really what they could do. The consenous on the web seems to be dehydration, stress, fatigue, etc. Did you ever find out what yours was caused by and how to fix it?
June 14th, 2005 at
Hi Holly and Passer By, my twitch did in fact go away on its own, but it took over 2 months. I believe that it was probably stress-related. I never did bother to go to the doctor about it, and had become pretty much used to it, so I had to think pretty hard to try to remember when it went away. I hope both of your twitches also go away soon!
June 27th, 2005 at
Did a google and it brought me here. I could be subconciously stressed but I don’t feel stress. However I do need to drink more water. I’m around 3 glasses a day. Mines have gone from my eye to my eyebrow but they take turns sometimes. I am hopeful it will go away soon.
June 27th, 2005 at
More water, less caffeine, and (I think this is the big one) lots more sleep. Good luck!!
June 28th, 2005 at
Hmmm, have an eye twitch which is making me curious more than anything else. Strangely enough my colleague got one on exactly the same day and has been going for about the same amount of time, however we didn’t know about each other having the same thing for a few days. He told me he was sure it was from staring at a computer screen for too long. I thought he must be right until I read everyone’s comments here on this website. For the last 2-3 weeks I have had a personal trainer who absolutely makes me sweat. So now I’m thinking the dehydration thing has some merit. I’m probably not drinking enough water to compensate for the amount of training I’m doing and I’ve been staring at computer screens for years – so this is no newey!
June 28th, 2005 at
Yeah, the staring at computer screens can’t be helping us, that’s for sure. My twitch has almost completely gone away, aside from some mild twitching if I push myself with too little sleep. So more fluids, more sleep! Good luck!
June 30th, 2005 at
I have been having the same problem , its happening right now and wont stop..I also see floaters and have head pains and pressure real bad. I had an MRI of the brain which came back negative but something weird is going on..im going to an eye doctor today and will also be making appointments with a neurologist and an ENT to make sure what my head pressure/slight pain problem might be..Im gonna try the water theory starting right now though lol. I hate these twitches.
June 30th, 2005 at
Anthony – I’m glad you’re getting the extra attention, like MRI, ENT and neurologist. You bring up a good point though, which is that a twitch can also be associated with something more than just fatigue and dehydration. Good luck with it, I hope it is all worked out for you soon.
June 30th, 2005 at
I just got back from the eye doctor and I may have glaucoma which is a bit scary..im only 40 and that still isn’t a definite reason why i have all this pressure in my head…more tests to come on the 21st of July..he says eyedrops will keep it under control if i definitely have it and i have good blood flow to the eye and all my peripheral vision still so if i do have it we got it early and in time to maybe not go blind down the road..
June 30th, 2005 at
I’m glad you caught it when you did, if it turns out to be glaucoma. My mother was diagnosed with glaucoma about 10 years ago, and luckly hers has maintained or gotten better year after year. I know that’s not common, but maybe at least it offers hope! They can really control it better now than in years past.
Good luck with the tests Anthony.
July 3rd, 2005 at
I have had this twitch for about 3 months now, I called my eye doctor who just said it was either stress or fatigue, I really hate it because it happens even more when i’m talking with someone. I’m trying the water thing now and hoping so much that it works!
July 4th, 2005 at
I remember it happening more when talking to my boss – I guess that’s a good indicator that it was at least somewhat stress-induced. It was hard to even keep track of the assignment he was giving me, I was so preoccupied with the twitch. Good luck, and along with water, get lots of rest!
July 7th, 2005 at
Site very imformative and helpful. Made me feel much better!
July 7th, 2005 at
[...] and commenters. In case you’re wondering, my twitch went away on its own. Link: Eye Twitch posted by Jason on 07.07.05 @ [...]
July 8th, 2005 at
Stumbled upon your website googling the whole eye twitch thing. I’m about to get a razor blade and cut a muscle out!!!! My twitch came out of a combo of anger and stress. I can’t get it to go away. I drink water all the time and I don’t stare at a computer. At least my patients have something to stare at while I’m cleaning their teeth! A patient of mine told me to eat some bananas for potassium. I’ve tried everthing else! Have you heard of the banana thing?
July 8th, 2005 at
I’ve never heard the potassium idea, but bananas are really good for you, so it couldn’t hurt. The one thing you didn’t mention is whether you’re getting enough rest. In my case, the twitch didn’t go away until I had had a few nights in a row of exceptionally long sleeps. I’m not sure that had anything directly to do with it, but is sure couldn’t hurt. Good luck!
July 13th, 2005 at
My eyes have been twitching for about 3 weeks now. Mine twitch under my eyes about the lash line on the outer edge. It’s driving me crazy and I’m a little worried! Help!
July 14th, 2005 at
Hi Ashleigh,
All I can suggest is to try the tips above in the comments here. Sleep (lots of it), hydration, cutting stressors out of your life, and someone even suggested bananas for potassium. All of these suggestions are safe, healthy things to try, with or without an eye twitch. Good luck!
July 18th, 2005 at
My twitch finally went away! I was about at the breaking point, then one day, I was expecting it all day and it never happened! I think it’s because I began drinking 3 bottles of water and eating two bananas a day. After 3 days it was gone. I can’t believe it-I’m free! Thanks for the tips!
July 18th, 2005 at
Thats great news I am gonna try bananas now too , i dont drink enough water and i get a lot of twitches here and then but Im gonna be trying more water and banana’s..im also still sorting out whether or not I have glaucoma which kinda will stink if i do have it.
July 18th, 2005 at
Wow, it’s really exciting to see that people are having success at getting rid of their twitches! Ashleigh, just so you know, when mine went away it came back a few times randomly. It was almost more frustrating than having it all the time, because it seemed like it might never just stop, but after a week or so, I noticed that it hadn’t returned at all. So if you get it back, don’t panic. It’s obviously on its way out.
July 20th, 2005 at
Hello everyone I got this twitch this morning and it still twitching. I went to work this morning and for some reason I just got really hot and had to get some water and sit down, I think I was DH. but I would let you guys know what happen or the real reason for it.
July 22nd, 2005 at
Hi Dan’yal,
I hope the twitch goes away for you quickly. If you notice other symptoms like the hot flash you described, it’s always a good idea to see a doctor. I hope you’re feeling better soon!
July 24th, 2005 at
I’ve had an eye twitch under my left eye (on the outer lash line) on and off for about 7 months… It’s driving me mad! Sometimes it’ll twitch for hours on end, sometimes only a couple of times a day. Lack of sleep and stress (I’ve just written a thesis) seem to be the biggest cause. A friend of mine recommended magnesium supplements (as a deficiency can apparently lead to twitching, while their use promotes muscle ease). The supplements are available at any pharmacy. Hope this helps!
July 26th, 2005 at
Same as everyone else never any eye problems excellant vision no glasses, then this maddening twitch started in my left eyelid 3 weeks ago not long after I got a peice of grass blown in there on a windy day. Two days later when working late to finish a report the dreaded twich began. It seemed to worsen when ever I was speaking to someone or stressing about whether I was going to twitch. I went at got my eyes tested and was told more rest, more relaxation and more water. I set my computer to chime once every 15 mins to remind me to look away into the distance and have a glass of water. Twitch is now gone thankfully, my prodcutivity has slowed also but I feel I am now working at a more sustainable pace. Whilst the twich was frustrating it is an early sign of burn out. To take something positive from a very frustrating situation we need to understand the twitch as our body’s message and change our habits before something more serious eventuates. Hope this helps!!
July 26th, 2005 at
Wow, great advice Brendan – thanks for adding to the conversation!
July 27th, 2005 at
I am interning overseas in Germany and have recently become a blinking maniac. However, I am almost positive of the cause(s). The first being the stress factor of me living in another country, speaking another language. But, I believe the main reason is that my job is in the accounting department and it consists of me looking at a screen for ten hours a day, five days a week. I’ve had similar twitches before, such as when I only got three hours of sleep during finals weeks in College, or when I drink to much starbucks (usually while studying for finals lol). Nonetheless, these things go away for 90% of us in a couple weeks, or months, at the longest usually. But in the end, you have to be tough on yourself and have strong self control and you will see results. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep, cut back on the caffeine, and don’t stare at the damn computer screen too much.
July 28th, 2005 at
My eye has been twitching for about 4 months. I was told by the eye doctor to drink quinine (tonic) water. Sure enough I found that advice on other websites too. I have been drinking the quinine water for 2 weeks, not sure if its helping, still twitching but not as bad. I am so tired my eyes hurt. I try wearing sunglasses at work because the florescent lights hurt my eyes.
Anyone else having similar symptoms and found a cure…???
July 28th, 2005 at
Hi Andrew, the only thing I can suggest is that you need sleep – and a lot of it, considering your comment that you’re so tired your eyes hurt. Sleep, fluids (thanks for the quinine advice – we haven’t had that one here yet), bananas, and more sleep! Good luck!!
July 31st, 2005 at
I got one now too…GOD it is annoying…I heard it is stress related. Doesn’t help that it is the reason I am more stressed.
GO AWAY!
August 1st, 2005 at
I have an eye twitch… have had it for about a week… in my eyelid on my right eye.
It’s really bothersome.
It comes for about 30 minutes a day… nothing severe, but, oh, how I hate it. lol
August 2nd, 2005 at
Update on Quinine
It has been 3 weeks since I started drinking quinine and there is still a mild mild twitch. It may be a coincidence or not but its really almost gone.. I would say that I drank about a liter and one half per week for 3 weeks before I saw any real relief/results.
Please do a google search on this it helped me, the only negative thing about quinine I saw on one website was for those that have heart conditions, in that case consult your doctor before taking quinine. Also some people may have an eye diseases which cause twitching, please see: http://www.kellogg.umich.edu/patientcare/conditions/eyelid.spasms.html
I still have sore eyes and lots of fatigue, but they are not twitching…I’ll update perhaps.good luck
August 2nd, 2005 at
Glad to see that there are other fellow eye twitchers out there. This is driving me nuts also. My left eye is twitching on top and bottom. Especially when i squint my left eye really tight then it twitches right after. Wondering if this happens with anyone else. Going to try drinking water, etc…
August 3rd, 2005 at
UGH I have had a twitch BELOW my left eye for weeks now and I am going to lose my mind!! I”m glad to see I am not alone. My husband said its related to small seizures? I hope not! I”ll try the water, and bananas!
Kristin
August 3rd, 2005 at
Gawd! I hope it is definately not small seizures! I doubt it some how. I think, touch wood, that my eye twitch may be gone now. I haven’t noticed it this week. I had it for a good six weeks. Have been getting plenty of sleep, was not stressed at all, did drink plenty of water and did not eat any banana’s, but do think it may have been caused by lack of electrolytes/minterals after training heavily and sweating alot.
August 4th, 2005 at
I appears that a relatively high number of posts refer to the left eye as the twitching eye. I wonder why that would be? They say the right brain (which would be connected to left eye) is non-verbal maybe its trying to communicate LOL
Anyway, its my left eye too and the quinine helped but not completely. Maybe I’m going to try bananans next
August 11th, 2005 at
Hi, I also have an eye twitch that has persisted for months now. Maybe 2-3 months. Dr. said it could be lack of sleep and stress so I’ve been sleeping a lot but I wake up W/ the twitch. So I’ve been given antibiotic steroid ointment did that for 10 days and nothing. Now I have allergy drops and still no improvement. I asked if it could be cancer or glocoma related and was told not to worry the eyes look healthy just drink tonic water(yuck!). But still no improvements. After reading your storie I’m getting a bit worried. Did the 1st Dr. you saw tell you about the possibility of glocoma? and how is your vision? mine is very good but does that even matter?
August 11th, 2005 at
The latest I have heard now is that Botox the same muscle relaxer that stops the appearance of wrinkles can stop the eye twitching …yikes…where do the inject it…how much does it cost?
Does anyone know
August 12th, 2005 at
Once again,another twitcher arrives here for answer’s.I have had a twitch in my “right ” eye for 4 days now.I must be the only right eye person.
I have also noticed that along the right side of my head,between my ear and eye is twitching too.
I noticed that the twitch statred in what seems like a nerve or vien on my right side of my head for 1 day.then the next day my right eye started twitching and the head twitch stopped.The eye twitch continued for 3 days and stopped earlier today.but now my right side head twitches again.i can feel a nerve or something just to the left and above my right ear twitching.It’s very bothersome.Please any advice is very apprecitaed!!
August 12th, 2005 at
I would never think of minimizing the potential seriousness of twitches. However, the one thing that seems to come up over and over again is that twitching begins or occurs during times of great stress, little rest, and when we’re not necessarily taking very good care of our bodies. I think it’s always worthwhile to talk to a doctor about what’s going on (I didn’t take my own advice, but I should have), but there are things we can do on our own to help get rid of the twitch, and keep it from coming back:
1. Reduce stress – this is a hard one, but necessary if your body is giving you signs of being over-stressed
2. Increase sleep & exercise
3. Drink plenty of fluids
Those are by far the most important. There are some other tips in this thread that are worth considering. But again, see your doctor. Good luck, and I hope the twitch leaves you alone soon!
August 21st, 2005 at
This is the second day in a row and my eye won’t stop twitching. I’ve tried the sleeping and the banana thing… Well, off to drink some water! *skuttles off sadly*
August 21st, 2005 at
Hey y’all. I came across this on Google and let me tell you thank to all for this info. I have a a pretty high stress job and my it’s peak season right now. The muscle underneath my left eye has been going mad. It twitches every few seconds. Of course it doesn’t help that I’ve been flying for the past two weekend in a row.. little sleep and lots of caffine. I’m gonna try the water thing. Come to think of it..I’ve only had one glass today! So I really appreciate all of your helpful hints. I thought I had a serious facial spasm!! lol..
Thanks again,
Shelly
August 22nd, 2005 at
Another fellow eye twitcher here —– My eyes (mainly my left) has been twitching for more than five weeks now – on and off – it definately cranks up when I talk to someone, especially my boss. I am now on a one week stay at home vacation and notice it has lessened – I also notice it less when I drink water with a product called EmergenC. They cost around 50 each, you pour them into your water and stir. They are filled with vitamin C, minerals and electrolytes. (kind of like drinking a banana as far as nutrients) Hopes this helps someone! Janine
August 24th, 2005 at
Another left eye twitcher here. Mine has been going on for over 3 months. I drink plenty of water, low stress, and take my vitamens. I thought I was getting enough sleep, but my doctor said I may be waking up throughout the night. I’m going to get a sleep study done to check that one out. It should be interesting. Nice to know I’m not alone.
August 24th, 2005 at
Wow, it’s too bad that you have to have a problem like this to warrant a sleep study, but I have to admit I’d love to have a sleep study of myself done.
August 24th, 2005 at
If it is sleep related, I’m screwed. 3 kids under the age of 5 and one of them seems to wake up in the middle of the night. I will pretty much have this eye twitch for years.