Why Does My Eye Keep Twitching?

What happens when eyes twitch?

If you've ever felt an involuntary movement around your eye, you know it can be annoying and sometimes concerning. Harmless common muscle spasms of the eyelid are called myokymia, and have a variety of causes. Myokymia can be caused by tiredness, consumption of too much caffeine, and stress.

Myokymia is harmless and doesn't lead to other issues, but some forms of eyelid spasm warrant a call to your doctor. If both of your eyes twitch at the same time (called benign essential blepharospasm or BEB) for an extended period of time, the muscles around the eye can be affected and the condition can progress to functional blindness in some people. While an exact cause is not yet known, BEB is considered a neuro-ophthalmic condition and there are a variety of treatments.

How are eye twitches different?

Eyelid twitching is generally less painful and prolonged than spasms of larger muscle groups. If only a charley horse would last a short moment! Spasms of other muscle groups are more likely to be caused by electrolyte imbalances, overuse, and circulation issues than too many cups of coffee (or the resulting lack of sleep).

How do I make it stop?

The good news about common eye twitching is that it usually goes away on its own after a few hours. The long term solution to avoid eye twitching is to avoid the causes: get enough sleep, avoid excess caffeine, and manage stress. If you spend a lot of time in front of screens, make sure to rest your eyes by looking out in the distance for about 20 seconds every 20 minutes.

To provide relief during an active round of spasms, you can try massaging your eyelids in gentle circles to relax the muscles. A warm compress can also help loosen the muscles and stop the twitching, as can slow deliberate blinking. If you have dry eyes, using drops during a bout of eye twitching can bring relief.

References

1. Twitching Eyelid Causes & Symptoms. Uclahealth.org. Published 2025. https://www.uclahealth.org/medical-services/ophthalmology/eye-signs-and-symptoms/twitching-eyelid

2. Titi-Lartey OA, Patel BC. Benign Essential Blepharospasm. PubMed. Published 2022. Accessed January 12, 2022. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK560833/

3. Vorvick LJ. Charley Horse : MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. medlineplus.gov. Published April 1, 2025. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002066.htm

4. Lisa M. McDevitt, O.D. Drmcdevitteyecare.com. Published 2026. Accessed April 6, 2026. https://drmcdevitteyecare.com/articles/default/609914-eye-twitches-and-spasms-and-how-to-stop-them

5. Finlay DS. Eye Twitching: 8 Causes, Treatments and Prevention. Dr. Shonah Finlay Doctors Eye Care |. Published February 5, 2025. Accessed April 6, 2026. https://drshonah.ca/eye-twitching-8-causes-treatments-and-prevention/

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