Why Your Eye Keeps Twitching and How to Make It Stop

Eye twitching is often caused by everyday factors like stress, fatigue, caffeine, or dry eyes. At-home treatments include using a warm compress, getting more rest, limiting stimulants like caffeine, and applying artificial tears for lubrication.

If simple remedies don’t help, medical options are available to stop eye twitching. These may include prescription medications, botox injections, or, in rare cases, surgery to address more serious underlying causes.

Relaxation and Stress Reduction

Minor eye twitches can often be treated at home. A combination of the following may help.

1. Warm Compress

Eye twitches are tiny muscle contractions or spasms. Applying a warm compress can sometimes calm eye twitching by relaxing the muscles.

Wet a clean washcloth with warm water, squeeze out the excess, and hold it to your eye for five to 10 minutes. Repeat as needed throughout the day.

2. Stress Management

Stress is a common cause of eye twitching. Look for ways to reduce stress in your daily life. Learning stress management techniques can help you better cope with stress.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends doing the following to lower your daily stress level:

• Avoid watching or reading news stories.
• Connect with people whose company you enjoy.
• Get regular exercise.
• Make time to unwind and engage in activities you enjoy.
• Practice meditation or yoga.
• Take deep breaths.

3. Deep Breathing

Deep breathing exercises can help reduce stress, which is a common trigger for eye twitching. When you breathe deeply, it tells your brain to relax—your heart rate slows down, your muscles loosen up, and your body starts to feel calmer.

One simple method is called belly breathing:

1. Lie down or sit comfortably.
2. Place one hand on your belly and the other on your chest.
3. Breathe in slowly through your nose.
4. Try to make your belly rise while keeping your chest still, then breathe out slowly through your mouth.
5. Repeat for about 10 minutes.

Doing this and other deep breathing exercises a few times a day can help your body relax and may ease eye twitching. It’s easy to learn and a great way to manage stress naturally.

Lifestyle Adjustments

Stress, fatigue, and other common triggers of eye twitching can often be eased with small changes to your daily routine. Adjusting your habits is often the first step to calming the spasms.

1. Get Plenty of Sleep

Insufficient sleep is another common cause of eye twitching. If you aren't getting enough shuteye, improving the quantity and quality of your sleep can help ease a twitching eye.

Adults should get at least seven hours of sleep a night. The CDC recommends the following tips for better sleep hygiene:

• Be consistent with going to bed and waking up at the same time each day, including on the weekends.
• Don't eat large meals or drink alcohol before bed.
• Keep the bedroom quiet, dark, and at a comfortable temperature.
• Move screens and electronic devices out of the bedroom.

If these changes do not improve your sleep quality, talk to your healthcare provider. A sleep study can help to determine if you have a sleep disorder.

2. Cut Back on Caffeine

Consuming too much caffeine can cause eye twitching, so naturally, cutting back on caffeine can help to stop it. Caffeine is a stimulant found in chocolate, coffee, cola, energy drinks, tea, and some over-the-counter medicines.

Most people can safely consume up to 400 milligrams (mg) of caffeine per day—about 2 strong cups of coffee. In addition to eye twitching, other side effects of too much caffeine include:

• Anxiety
• Insomnia
• Restlessness
• A fast heart rate
• Dependence

If your current caffeine intake is high, cut back slowly to minimize withdrawal symptoms, such as headaches, nausea, and trouble concentrating. 

3. Hydrate

Dehydration can cause eye twitching in some cases. When your body doesn't have enough fluids, it can lead to an imbalance of electrolytes like potassium, magnesium, and calcium—minerals that help muscles function properly. Without enough of them, you may experience muscle spasms or twitches, including in the eyelids.

Dehydration can also make your eyes feel dry and irritated, which might increase blinking or twitching as your eyes try to compensate.

4. Reduce Your Screen Time

Digital eye strain caused by spending too much screen time can cause eye twitching. Known as computer vision syndrome, research suggests up to 90% of adults who regularly use devices experience digital eye strain.

Other signs of computer vision syndrome include:

• Blurred vision
• Dry eyes
• Eye strain
• Headaches
• Neck and shoulder pain

To prevent digital eyestrain, the American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends following the 20-20-20 rule. Take a screen break every 20 minutes to look at an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This can help your eyes relax.

5. Use Eye Drops

Tiredness, digital eye strain, and allergies can all lead to dry eyes, which contribute to eye twitching. Over-the-counter eye drops can help to soothe dry eyes.

For dry eyes related to eye strain or fatigue, try saline eye drops. These are commonly labeled as lubricating, moisturizing, or natural tears.

Eye twitching caused by ocular allergies (allergic conjunctivitis) may benefit from using antihistamine eye drops. These are often labeled as for allergies or eye itch relief.

Treatments and Medications

If home remedies for eye twitching fail to bring relief, medical treatment may be needed. Persistent eye twitching can be treated with prescription medications, Botox injections, and, in severe cases, surgery.

1. Medication

When eye twitching doesn't respond to home remedies or lifestyle changes, prescription medications may help. These drugs can work by relaxing the muscles, calming the nervous system, or treating underlying conditions that trigger the spasms.

Your doctor will choose a medication based on the suspected cause of your eye twitching. Some commonly prescribed options include:

• Benzodiazepines: Medications like Valium (diazepam), Xanax (alprazolam), and Ativan (lorazepam) can help relieve twitching caused by stress or anxiety by calming nerve activity.
• Muscle relaxants: These may be used short-term to reduce muscle spasms in the eyelid.
• Stimulants: In some cases, especially where dopamine imbalance is suspected, drugs like methylphenidate (used to treat ADHD) may help regulate nerve signals that trigger twitching.
• Sedatives: Mild sedatives can be used when twitching is related to nervous system overactivity or poor sleep.
• Dopamine-regulating medications: These are sometimes helpful in conditions like blepharospasm, which may involve abnormal dopamine function.
• Antihistamines: If your twitching is triggered by allergies or eye irritation, antihistamines may reduce inflammation and relieve symptoms.

It’s important to note that not all of these medications are specifically approved for treating eye twitching, and some may have side effects. Your healthcare provider will help decide if one is right for you based on your overall health and symptoms.

2. Botox

Botox injections are a common treatment for stubborn or severe eye twitching, especially when other methods haven’t worked. The procedure involves injecting a small amount of botulinum toxin into the muscles around the eye.

Botox works by blocking a chemical in the body called acetylcholine, which helps muscles contract. When the signal is blocked, the muscles can relax, stopping the twitching. The effects usually start to kick in within a few days, and relief can last for about three to four months before another round of treatment may be needed.

While Botox is generally safe, there can be some side effects. These might include drooping eyelids, dry eyes, or blurred vision, but these effects are usually temporary. It’s important to have the treatment done by a trained medical professional to reduce the risk of complications.

3. Surgery

Most cases of eye twitching don’t require surgery, but in rare situations, it may be recommended—especially if the twitching is caused by an underlying medical condition.

The type of surgery depends on what’s causing the twitching. For people with blepharospasm, a procedure called a myectomy may be done. This involves removing some of the muscles in the eyelid to help reduce or stop the twitching.

If the twitching is due to hemifacial spasm—a condition where muscles on one side of the face twitch because a blood vessel is pressing on a nerve—microvascular decompression might be recommended. This surgery helps relieve pressure on the facial nerve to stop the spasms.

Surgery is usually considered only after other treatments, like medication or Botox, haven’t worked.

When to See a Healthcare Provider

Most eye twitching is harmless and goes away on its own, but there are times when it’s best to talk to a healthcare provider. If the twitching lasts for more than a week, becomes more frequent, or starts interfering with your daily life or sleep, it’s worth getting checked out.

You should also see a healthcare provider if the twitching is accompanied by other symptoms, such as muscle weakness or cramping. These may point to a more serious issue involving the nervous system.

Seek medical attention right away if you experience eye twitching in addition to:

• Eye pain
• Changes in vision
• Drooping eyelids
• Facial twitching beyond just the eyelid
• Signs of infection, such as eye discharge, redness, or swelling

If you’re ever unsure or concerned about your symptoms, it’s always best to get a professional opinion.

Summary

Eye twitching is usually harmless and often caused by everyday factors like stress, fatigue, caffeine, or dry eyes. Simple at-home remedies—like getting more sleep, using warm compresses, and cutting back on caffeine—can often stop the twitching.

If symptoms don’t go away or are paired with other issues like muscle weakness, pain, or vision changes, see a healthcare provider. In more serious cases, treatments like prescription medications, Botox, or even surgery may be needed to relieve persistent or severe eye twitching.

A Word From Verywell

The majority of eyelid-twitching causes are not serious and can be improved with lifestyle modifications. Should these be ineffective or the symptoms become chronic and severe, it's best to seek an evaluation with an eye care professional.

— CHRISTINE L. LARSEN, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD