It’s not unusual to experience an involuntary eye twitch from time to time. Usually, you don’t give it much thought at all. However, if you experience frequent eyelid twitches, you may be experiencing a common condition called dry eye syndrome (DES). So, what is DES, and how can it trigger eyelid twitching?
What is DES?
Dry eye syndrome occurs when your eyes either aren’t able to create enough tears, or aren’t able to make tears with the right components to keep your eyes moisturized and comfortable. This can result in red, dry, itchy, gritty-feeling, or watery eyes. It can also cause eye twitches.
Think you have DES? Speak with our Belmont dry eye expert, Dr. Barbara Marcussen, about finding relief and regaining comfortable, clear vision.
How Is Eyelid Twitching Related To DES?
When your eyes feel dry, the nervous system reacts by causing you to blink more to try and refresh your tear film. If the eyelid muscles begin to get overloaded with “blink” signals fired from the brain, they may begin to twitch.
What Can Be Done To Ease Symptoms?
If you have an eye twitch, it can seriously interfere with daily activities such as reading, watching TV, or driving. Our eye care team can give you some steps to shorten the duration of your eye twitching episodes or eliminate them altogether.
Prescription eye drops can help moisturize your eyes, causing your brain to cut down on the “blink” signals sent to the eyes. We can determine the right eye drops or artificial tears as part of a comprehensive eye exam.
Gently massaging your eyelids can also help reduce the twitching when it occurs by relaxing the muscles involved. Do this together with a warm eye compress for added benefit.
Want to learn more about how we can help with your dry eye and eye twitching? Contact our Belmont eye doctors at Complete Eye Care or give us a call at 704-825-9002 today!