Eye twitching is a common occurrence and happens when the muscles in the bottom eyelid contract, causing a little spasm. The medical term for this condition is called myokymia, but it is not a serious condition, just irritating sometimes. It usually affects only one eye.
The twitches can be caused by tiredness, stress, eye strain or magnesium deficiency. Dry eyes and allergies may also make the eyelids more likely to twitch, so treat those conditions separately if they occur. Getting plenty of sleep, eating well and exercising regularly can help to reduce tiredness and stress. Try also to reduce alcohol and caffeine in your diet as they can make stress worse.
Eye strain may occur if your vision is not as good as it should be – if you need glasses or have a visual problem then the muscles of your eye may be overworked, causing twitching. Have your vision checked by an optometrist to rule this out.
Magnesium is thought to support normal functioning of smooth muscle cells and deficiency affects the body's ability to carry oxygen in the blood and may promote contraction of the smooth muscles. Unfortunately, Hawke’s Bay has low levels of magnesium in the soil and supplements are often required. One of the first signs of deficiency is twitching in the eyelid and taking a magnesium supplement can boost your levels and reduce the spasms. It can be taken as a tablet or is well absorbed through the skin so oils can be used. Ask our pharmacists which is the best product for you to try.