The internet has made it possible for people to research their symptoms and decide, after a self-diagnosis, whether seeing a medical professional is necessary. While this can sometimes bring peace of mind without a copay, it also leads many people to link one minor symptom to a major, life-threatening condition.
A perfect example of this is the idea that an eye twitch might be a sign of a brain tumor.
Before panic sets in, understand that eye twitching, on its own, rarely points to a tumor in your brain. It's more likely that you’re under stress and need a good night’s sleep.
Read on to learn what may cause an eye twitch, what conditions an eye twitch could be a sign of, and when to seek medical help.
Why do our eyes twitch?
Eye twitching — although annoying — is typically a painless, benign muscle spasm in the eyelid. It occurs when tiny muscles in the lid contract spontaneously. These spasms can affect your upper or lower eyelids and often resolve on their own within a few minutes or hours.
There are many possible causes behind an eye twitching. These may include:
- Exhaustion
- Stress
- Caffeine
- Eye strain or irritation
- Dehydration
- Certain medications
- Alcohol
- Allergies
- Dry eyes
If you experience eye twitching often, you may be able to reduce the frequency and duration of your symptoms by finding and addressing the root cause. When in doubt, your eye doctor or primary care doctor can help you figure it out.
Eye twitching and brain tumors
Sometimes eye twitching lasts a little longer than expected — up to several days or weeks. If this happens, you may begin to panic and convince yourself that your eye twitching is a potential sign of a brain tumor.
If an eye twitch is the only symptom you’re experiencing, it can probably be attributed to one of the more common culprits listed above.
Typically, the symptoms of a brain tumor include issues such as severe headaches, confusion, blurred vision with dizziness and, in some cases, seizures. In rare circumstances, brain tumors don’t show any symptoms, which makes it difficult for the person with the tumor to know something is wrong.
If you’re experiencing signs and/or symptoms of a brain tumor in addition to a persistent eye twitch, seek medical attention immediately.
What your eye twitch could mean
For many people, an eye twitch probably just means you should relax, get more sleep or reduce your caffeine or alcohol consumption. However, there are some other conditions that can cause a persistent eye twitch.
If an eye twitch progresses to involuntary eye blinking, it may be blepharospasm. This is a neurological disorder where the brain sends an uncontrolled signal to the eyes and results in excessive blinking. While blepharospasm itself isn’t dangerous, it’s important to see an eye doctor to confirm the diagnosis and determine a cause.
If the “twitching” you experience is involuntary movements of the eye itself rather than the eyelid, you may have nystagmus. Nystagmus is characterized by uncontrolled repetitive eye movements that can appear as the eyes twitching back and forth.
Eye twitching can also be caused by a vestibular (inner ear) abnormality or a neurological issue — such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, Bell's palsy or Tourette syndrome — and should be examined by a doctor to decide the appropriate course of treatment.
If you or someone you’re with has an eye twitch accompanied by sudden dizziness, trouble seeing, headache, confusion and weakness (especially when weakness is only on one side of the body), these could be possible life-threatening symptoms of a stroke. Call 911 and seek immediate medical attention. When in doubt, see an eye doctor for evaluation — and possible solutions — if you experience prolonged lid twitching.
READ MORE: Nystagmus vs. strabismus
