• Home
• Eye health
• Other eye conditions
• Eye Twitching – What It Could Mean And What You Should Do

Have you ever experienced eye twitching? It could mean more than a muscle spasm.

Why does my eye twitch?

Medically known as ‘myokymia’, some of us may have experienced eye twitching and it’s when our eyes suddenly go into a spasm for reasons beyond our comprehension. It usually goes away after awhile, but it can be annoying. At worst, it can persist for days. Usually, our eyes twitch because they are tired and this can be caused by too much stress, eye strain and fatigue, dry eyes and allergies.

The most common cause of eye twitching is stress and eye strain, especially when we spend a prolonged duration of time staring at our digital screens with no periods of rest in between. As a result, though you might not feel it, your eyes are under the weight of a lot of stress which causes them to twitch. When this happens, it’s your eye’s way of telling you to take an eye break, fast! During this time, it’s important to look away from your screen, close your eyes for a minute or two, and simply breathe.

Dry eyes are another common source of myokymia. When we stare at the screen for excessive periods of time, our blink rate actually decreases. Our eyes aren’t lubricated enough which results in dry eyes. When this happens, your eyes can sometimes twitch as a natural response to the lack of moisture therefore, it’s important for you to grab some eye drops and restore moisture in your eyes.

If you have allergies, it’s necessary for you to take note of the cause of them. Eye allergies can show very serious symptoms such as redness, swelling, and eye twitching and sometimes, all at once. Over-the-counter eyedrops do help alleviate these symptoms, but it’s important to consult an eye doctor for a proper prescription to prevent them.

When it’s time to see an eye doctor

Eye twitching doesn’t just occur in adults, it can occur in children too. For our children growing up in the digital age, their eyes will be the first to experience the consequences of excessive screen time – think myopia, digital eye strain, and yes, eye twitching!

With their young eyes being so vulnerable to these symptoms, it’s important to get their eyes checked annually. As a parent, you can book a comprehensive eye check up at your nearest optometrist for your child at planoeyecheck.com*!

As our children’s eyes are still developing, it’s important we safeguard them and prevent any eye health problems from arising. After all, as parents, we want them to grow up free of any health and vision problems.

*Only available in Singapore. Plano eyecheck is a booking platform with partnerships with W Optics, Nanyang Optical, Videre Eyecare and Optic Point. You can choose from a wide range of outlets located all across Singapore to book your child’s next eye exam at a convenient location near you at any time.