2000), with white matter disease likely contributing in the majority of cases. The disease is thought to be linked to hypertension, high cholesterol, poorly-managed diabetes, an unhealthy diet, lack of exercise, and smoking. White matter disease is a covert operator.
An eye twitch, while annoying, is usually nothing serious. A twitching eye is a creepy sensation, as you can feel your eyelid moving uncontrollably. What often feels like a huge movement, however, usually can't even be detected by your friends. Many people are familiar with involuntary eye twitching. Eye twitching, or myokymia, is an involuntary eyelid muscle contraction that usually affects the lower eyelid. The exact cause of eye twitching is unknown. A twitch sometimes develops during times of increased stress. Eye twitching has also been associated with high caffeine intake, fatigue or excessive squinting.
Eye twitches are commonly known as Blepharospasm, which is defined as the repetitive and rhythmic contraction of the eyelid muscles (which usually affects both eyes). Eye twitches are also less commonly known as Fasciculation, which is defined as the twitching or continuous movement of muscle fiber groups. Sometimes eye twitch is confused with Nystagmus, which is the jerking or jumping of the eye itself. This is an entirely different condition and an optometrist or ophthalmologist should be able to make a proper diagnosis after a full examination. Simply stated, eye twitches are muscle spasms and, like most muscle spasms, they generally have no long term side effects.