Eyelid twitching is a repetitive, involuntary spasm of the orbicularis oculi muscle, which is responsible for eyelid closures. The most common things that make the muscle in your eyelid twitch are fatigue, stress, caffeine, and excessive alcohol intake. Other triggers and causes of eyelid twitching include eye irritation, strain, or lack of sleep, dry eyes, environmental irritants such as wind, bright lights, or air pollution, and certain medications. In rare cases, eyelid twitching can be a symptom of a more serious brain or nervous system disorder, such as Bell’s palsy, dystonia, spasmodic torticollis, multiple sclerosis, or Parkinson’s disease.

If you experience chronic eyelid spasms, it is important to contact a doctor if you have any of the following symptoms: your eye is red, swollen, or has unusual discharge, your upper eyelid is drooping, your eyelid completely closes each time your eyelids twitch, the twitching continues for several weeks, or the twitching affects other parts of your face.

To manage eyelid twitching, you can try getting more sleep, reducing stress, limiting caffeine intake, and avoiding eye strain. Eyelid twitching most often goes away without treatment. However, if your twitches seem to be getting worse, be sure to tell your ophthalmologist.