If indeed your eyes are suddenly beginning to twitch, and you are a bit worried about it, then the first thing to do is – stop worrying about it!

Generally if eye twitching goes on for more than seven days it’s prudent to make an appointment to see an optometrist, since it just might on occasion be indicative of something more serious.  But repeating – it’s not probably serious.

Eye twitching is more common than you think and can usually be traced to one or more causes that are easily remedied:

Too much coffee! Too much alcohol!

People drink so much coffee these days, as well as cola type drinks, that it’s not surprising the levels of caffeine in the body. Health experts are agreed that a high intake of caffeine (also in tea of course) can be the mechanism that triggers eye twitching. They also agree that having too many alcoholic drinks can have the same effect.

The remedy is simple – cut down on the coffee and colas (not altogether though or you will almost certainly get withdrawal headaches) and cut down on the drinking, and see if that works.

Eye Strain

Why eye twitching is so common these days is no doubt due to the amount of time people spend at their computers, firstly at work all day and then at night (with occasional breaks to watch television no doubt.) 

Working at computers has generated what is called “Computer Vision Syndrome” where the eyes become tired and dry and then start twitching from basically not blinking enough but also from eye muscle fatigue. Eyes should blink every 3 seconds, but when staring at a computer screen people often do so for 10 seconds before blinking. Maybe twitching eyes are nature’s way of saying you need to blink more or take a break.

Don’t forget the lubricating eye drops – especially the ones that come in small ampules that have no preservatives in them. 

A simple eye test by your optometrist will determine what eye strain your eyes are under. These days productivity in the work place is critical and taking breaks all the time is both impractical and impossible. 

Guess what a pair of glasses specifically design for the computer screen can do wonders. They WILL NOT make your eyes lazy. They will recharge your eyes reduce the twitching and get you home feeling refreshed.

Stress

They say stress is a killer. That’s true in respect of high blood pressure and incidence of heart disease. Stress leads to nervousness and anxiety, and often that anxiety is exhibited by twitching of the eyes.

In a casual survey people said they were more afraid of speaking in public than dying, so it’s no surprise that the anxiety shown by someone making a speech when they are scared out of their wits comes in the form of sweaty palms, dry mouth and – you guessed it – twitching eyes.

Unfortunately stress removal is not always possible and learning to deal with it is not easy either, but it can be done through education and by following practical programmes such as Stress Management and Public Speaking Courses.

Tiredness and General Lack of Sleep

The eyes are the first to show signs of distress when a person isn’t getting enough really good sleep. They can become dry, puffy and red, and at times start twitching. A good pattern of sleep is essential to good overall health, and good health shows in the eyes. Take a break during the day, and if you can find 15 minutes for a power nap, all well and good.

No wonder the Mediterranean people live so long. Apart from their diet, they also have the midday siesta as part of their culture. 

So for a life without eye twitching, cut down on the coffee and alcohol, learn to relax, and chill out with a nap now and then.