Causes

By Mayo Clinic Staff

The most common type of eyelid twitching, called myokymia, may be triggered by:

  1. Alcohol intake
  2. Bright light
  3. Caffeine excess
  4. Eye strain
  5. Fatigue
  6. Irritation of the eye surface or inner eyelids
  7. Nicotine
  8. Stress
  9. Wind or air pollution

Benign essential blepharospasm is a movement disorder, called dystonia, of the muscles around the eye. No one knows exactly what causes it, but researchers think it's caused by a malfunction of certain cells in the nervous system called basal ganglia.

Hemifacial spasm is typically caused by a blood vessel that presses on a facial nerve.

Other conditions that sometimes include eyelid twitching as a sign include:

  1. Blepharitis
  2. Dry eyes
  3. Light sensitivity

Eye twitching may be a side effect of medications, particularly medicine used to treat Parkinson's disease. Very rarely, eye twitching may be a sign of certain brain and nervous system disorders. In these cases, it's almost always accompanied by other signs and symptoms. Brain and nervous system disorders that can cause eye twitching include:

  1. Bell's palsy (a condition that causes sudden weakness on one side of the face)
  2. Dystonia
  3. Multiple sclerosis
  4. Oromandibular dystonia and facial dystonia
  5. Parkinson's disease
  6. Tourette syndrome

Causes shown here are commonly associated with this symptom. Work with your doctor or other health care professional for an accurate diagnosis.

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Jan. 18, 2025