Why does my eye keep twitching?
Most of the time, eye twitching is a small eyelid muscle firing on its own, over and over, for a short period. It is a minor eyelid twitch, sometimes called eyelid myokymia, and not a problem with the eye itself. The flutter can sit in the upper or lower eyelid, most often in one eye at a time, and it can come and go throughout the day. These spasms are involuntary, so you cannot will them to stop.
It feels huge from the inside. From the outside, people across the table rarely notice it at all. In most cases, eyelid twitching goes away on its own once the cause eases up. Our doctors at Aker Eye in Titusville see the same everyday causes again and again, and they are worth a look before you worry about anything else.
Our own appointment book for September 2025 through August 2026 says about one visit in three with us is a medical visit, not a glasses check. A twitch that will not quit is an ordinary reason to come in, and you do not need to wait for your yearly exam.
What are the most common causes of eye twitching?
Eyelid spasms tend to show up when the rest of you is running low. These are the common causes of eye twitching our doctors see most often:
- Not getting enough sleep, or a few late nights in a row, and the fatigue that follows
- Stress, at work or at home
- Too much caffeine, from coffee, tea, soda, or energy drinks
- Drinking alcohol
- Long hours of screen time on a phone, tablet, or computer, which leads to eye strain
- Dry eyes, which are often tired, gritty, and quick to twitch
- Bright lights, glare, or a day of squinting in the sun
- Irritation from allergies, rubbing, or contact lenses that are not sitting right
Often it is two or three of these at once. A busy month, more coffee to get through it, and evenings on the phone can add up to an eyelid that will not sit still. Any one of them can cause eye twitching, and together they tend to make it worse.
How do I stop my eye from twitching?
There is no switch that turns a twitch off on the spot. What usually settles eye twitching is easing up on whatever is causing it. Give it a week or so of these and see if it fades.
- 1
Get to bed on time
A regular sleep schedule is the first thing our doctors suggest. Tired eyelid muscles twitch more.
- 2
Cut back on caffeine and alcohol
Try one less cup of coffee or soda a day, go easy on drinking alcohol, and see if the twitch eases.
- 3
Rest your eyes from the screen
Look up and away from your digital devices now and then, and blink fully. Long stretches of staring dry the eyes out.
- 4
Care for dry eyes at home
If your eyes also feel gritty or tired, artificial tears and a warm, heated eye mask are where we usually start for dry eye. Artificial tears are lubricating eye drops you can buy at the store.
- 5
Wear sunglasses outside
Bright Florida sun makes you squint all day, and squinting keeps the muscles around your eyes working. A good pair of sunglasses lets them rest.
If the twitch fades, you are done. If it keeps coming back, or your eyes feel dry and scratchy along with it, that is worth an appointment for an eye exam.
When should I worry about eye twitching?
Most twitches are a nuisance and nothing more. A few signs mean it is time to let an eye doctor take a look.
| What you notice | What to do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A flutter in one eyelid that comes and goes for a few days | Wait it out and rest | This is the everyday kind, and it usually fades on its own |
| A twitch with dry, gritty, burning, or watery eyes | Book a regular visit | Dry eye may be behind it, and treating it can calm the twitch too |
| Eye twitching for weeks that will not let up | Book a regular visit | A twitch that lasts this long deserves a look for the underlying cause |
| A twitch that closes the eye, or spreads to other facial muscles | Book a visit soon | That is not the everyday eyelid twitch, and we want to see it |
| A twitch with a red eye that hurts, or a change in your vision | Call us today | Pain, redness, and vision changes are other symptoms we see the same day |
Wait it out, book a visit, or call us today
Twitches that close the eye or pull at one side of the face are rare, and they are different from a minor eyelid twitch. They come from the nerves and muscles of the face, not from the eye. If we see signs of one, we will tell you what we see and who to see next.
If you are not sure which row fits, call us. We would rather answer a quick question than have you worry about it for a month.
Can dry eyes cause eye twitching?
They can, and it is one of the causes we can do the most about. When the tear film breaks up too fast, the eye feels tired and irritated, and an irritated eyelid is quicker to twitch. Sun, wind off the river, and air conditioning all dry Titusville eyes out.
Our dry eye treatment visits run every week of the year, and they climb in September and March. If your eyes feel drier this time of year, you are in good company. If eye drops from the store have not helped, our dry eye treatment starts with a closer look at why your eyes dry out, and all four of our doctors treat it at both offices.
What will an eye doctor do for eye twitching in Titusville?
We look at the eye and the eyelids, not just the twitch. At a comprehensive eye exam we ask how long the twitch has lasted and go over your medical history. We check your vision and your glasses prescription, since an old prescription makes your eye muscles work harder, and that means eye strain. Then we look at the front of each eye and the edges of your lids under the slit lamp, the microscope that shows the surface of the eye up close.
That look tells us whether your tears are doing their job and whether the lids are irritated. From there we recommend treatment that fits what we find, starting with the simplest step. Plan on about an hour.
You can see us at either office. Dr. Greg Aker and Dr. Amanda Aker are Downtown, at 338 S Washington Ave, on the second floor with an elevator. Dr. Sarah Koehnemann and Dr. Jennifer Bradley are at Playalinda, 1114 S Washington Ave, on one floor. Wednesday is our lightest day, so it is often the easiest day to get in for a quick look. About one appointment in eight is booked online, and you can book online any hour, or call us at (321) 269-2021.
