# My left eyelid keeps twitching. Why? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 26, 2002, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-left-eyelid-keeps-twitching-why/105757 "2002-04-26T13:21:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2002, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-left-eyelid-keeps-twitching-why/105757/1 "2002-04-26T13:21:20Z")
And should I be concerned about it? It’s been doing this intermittantly for the last week or so. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2002, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-left-eyelid-keeps-twitching-why/105757/2 "2002-04-26T14:02:51Z")
I don’t have the answer. All I know is that my eyelids have been doing this on occasion for years now, and I still live. It usually happens when I’m tired, so my money’s on some sort of muscle twitch type of deal. Not very scientific, I know. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Why\_A\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/13edae/32.png) [@Why\_A\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Why_A_Duck)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2002, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-left-eyelid-keeps-twitching-why/105757/3 "2002-04-26T14:05:04Z")
Yeah, me too. Being tired and drinking way too much coffee are guaranteed to make me a twitching fool. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2002, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-left-eyelid-keeps-twitching-why/105757/4 "2002-04-26T14:05:31Z")
When I have experienced such things in the past, my doctor has told me it’s probably just a stress reaction. Reduce stress in your life. Try some relaxation techniques. I wouldn’t be too concerned, but if it continues, you might want to visit a doctor just to be sure. ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2002, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-left-eyelid-keeps-twitching-why/105757/5 "2002-04-26T14:16:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Superdude \* > \*\*And should I be concerned about it? It’s been doing this intermittantly for the last week or so. \*\* Depends if you’re doing it while looking at a homophobic hell’s angel 😃 Yeah, what everyone else said. ---
**Author:** ![Merlot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3e96dc/32.png) [@Merlot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merlot)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2002, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-left-eyelid-keeps-twitching-why/105757/6 "2002-04-26T14:20:18Z")
I’ve suffered a twitching left eye for nearly two weeks myself. I called my doctor’s office after 4 days – I was on the verge of gouging the darn thing right out of my skull. I was told to take ibuprophen, use warm compresses, limit time spent on the computer and relax. ---
**Author:** ![JustPlainBryan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/57b2e6/32.png) [@JustPlainBryan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustPlainBryan)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2002, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-left-eyelid-keeps-twitching-why/105757/7 "2002-04-26T14:55:45Z")
It’s weird, my left eyelid has started twitching this past few days too. I especially hate it when I’m trying to sleep. I’m curious. To all the twitch-eyes in this thread, do you have jobs that involve staring at a computer all day long? That I think would be the reason why this happens to me. I have to stare at a computer for 8 hours every day. I tried using a warm compress, and it was a temporary solution. I’ll try using ibuprofen and attempt to meditate as well. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2002, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-left-eyelid-keeps-twitching-why/105757/8 "2002-04-26T14:59:15Z")
The same thing happened to me one time after receiving some particularly stressful news. It twitched on and off for about two weeks and never happened again. It was over two years ago when this happened. Haj ---
**Author:** ![poolboy21\_2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@poolboy21\_2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/poolboy21_2000)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2002, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-left-eyelid-keeps-twitching-why/105757/9 "2002-04-26T15:00:13Z")
if you take vitamin B complex supplements–not just B6 or B12, but all of them–you will never experience twitching eyes. the B vitamins do something that soothes the nerves, i have no idea what it is. but it works! ;^) ---
**Author:** ![Spit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/76d3ee/32.png) [@Spit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spit)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2002, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-left-eyelid-keeps-twitching-why/105757/10 "2002-04-26T15:08:11Z")
When I was training for emergency medicine, it was mentioned that twitching eyelids were (sometimes) a symptom of petit mal seizures. The eye that twitched was generally the opposite of the dominant hand. ( I am right handed, so my left eye twitches) More info [here.](http://www.healthcentral.com/mhc/top/000696.cfm) ---
**Author:** ![Merlot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3e96dc/32.png) [@Merlot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merlot)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2002, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-left-eyelid-keeps-twitching-why/105757/11 "2002-04-26T15:21:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JustPlainBryan \* > \*\*I’m curious. To all the twitch-eyes in this thread, do you have jobs that involve staring at a computer all day long? \*\* I am staring at a computer most of the day. I had my eyes tested just the other day and bifocals were recommended. I’m not sure if it is staring at the computer, needing bifocals, dealing with my co-worker or a combination of the three. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2002, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-left-eyelid-keeps-twitching-why/105757/12 "2002-04-26T15:30:46Z")
First of all, I only ask because this is not the first time this has ever happened. It’s been doing this, off and on, for several years. It stopped for a while, and started again recently. I remember hearing that some neurological disorders were originally discovered by the patients due to eyelid twitches (this may be the hypochondriac in me coming out), in addition to petite mal seizures. I’ve been tested for TLE (temporal lobe epilepsy), and been told that I didn’t have it. I don’t have a job where I stare at a computer on a daily schedule; I DO use one for writing material, but otherwise I’m puttering around the house, watching TV, reading, sleeping, etc. There’s no specific timeframe for me to be plunked down. And it’s not always for eight hours or more… ---
**Author:** ![poolboy21\_2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@poolboy21\_2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/poolboy21_2000)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2002, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-left-eyelid-keeps-twitching-why/105757/13 "2002-04-26T16:07:12Z")
seriously, i hate to be annoying, but try the b-complex vitamin supplements. they work. \bonne fin de semaine a tout le monde!\ ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2002, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-left-eyelid-keeps-twitching-why/105757/14 "2002-04-26T16:19:35Z")
There’s a prior thread on this, if you search. It’s usually due to stress. I’ve had it many times, but not lasting over a day. If you’re under stress, such as studying for exams, you’re prone to get them - them and “cold sores” if you have the herpes virus. They are usually innoculous. ---
**Author:** ![femtosecond](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f08c70/32.png) [@femtosecond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/femtosecond)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2002, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-left-eyelid-keeps-twitching-why/105757/15 "2002-04-26T16:19:57Z")
[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=97770](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=97770) ---
**Author:** ![Kal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de053/32.png) [@Kal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kal)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2002, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-left-eyelid-keeps-twitching-why/105757/16 "2002-04-26T16:22:07Z")
Both mine twitch, left one more so. It mainly happens when I’m angry about something. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2002, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-left-eyelid-keeps-twitching-why/105757/17 "2002-04-26T16:46:46Z")
Just wanted to throw out one more possible cause, particularly relevant this time of year – allergies. I have very severe pollen allergies which have become acute again over the past week. They occasionally cause eye twitches and other facial tics. If your twitch just started last week, it might be worth checking to see if you’re allergic to something that bloomed recently. ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2002, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-left-eyelid-keeps-twitching-why/105757/18 "2002-04-26T19:40:38Z")
my eyes used to twitch constantly a while back. i was told by the doc that it was due to lack of electrolytes. so he gave me some electral powder or something to mix in water and drink up. it worked fine. i still use the comp. 8+ hours a day and my eyes are doing fine. for now. ---
**Author:** ![JustPlainBryan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/57b2e6/32.png) [@JustPlainBryan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustPlainBryan)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2002, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-left-eyelid-keeps-twitching-why/105757/19 "2002-04-26T22:16:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by xash \* > \*\*my eyes used to twitch constantly a while back. i was told by the doc that it was due to lack of electrolytes. so he gave me some electral powder or something to mix in water and drink up. it worked fine. i still use the comp. 8+ hours a day and my eyes are doing fine. for now. \*\* does this mean if I drink Pedialyte, my twitching eye would cease to be a problem? ---
**Author:** ![biker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ce7236/32.png) [@biker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/biker)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2002, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-left-eyelid-keeps-twitching-why/105757/20 "2002-04-27T00:21:04Z")
it’s from eye strain. too much computer, too much reading, too much watching tv. give your eyes a break. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-left-eyelid-keeps-twitching-why/105757.md?page=2)