Eye twitching

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Definition

By Mayo Clinic staff

Eye twitching (blepharospasm) is an involuntary movement of the eyelid every few seconds over the course of a minute or two. Sometimes the spasm is strong enough to make your eyelid close completely before reopening.

Eye twitching can come and go unpredictably for a few days, weeks or months. The spasms don't hurt, but they can be annoying. In its most common form, which is harmless, eye twitching stops on its own, although it may recur occasionally.

Rarely, eye twitching may be the earliest sign of a chronic movement disorder, especially if other facial spasms develop in addition to the eye twitching.

References
  1. Comella C, et al. Classification and evaluation of dystonia. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 28, 2010.
  2. Ben Simon GJ, et al. Benign essential blepharospasm. International Ophthalmology Clinics. 2005;45:49.
  3. Ronthal M, et al. Bell's palsey: Prognosis and treatment. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 28, 2010.
  4. Martino D, et al. Relationship between eye symptoms and blepharospasm: A multicenter case-control study. Movement Disorders. 2005;20:1564.
  5. Tsary D, et al. Dystonia. New England Journal of Medicine. 2008;355:818.
  6. Chou KL, et al. Clinical manifestations of Parkinson disease. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 29, 2010.
  7. Jankovic J, et al. Tourette syndrome. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 29, 2010.
MY00102 Oct. 9, 2010

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