What is Eye Twitching? Eye twitching can be defined as both an eye condition in itself and a symptom of other eye conditions. The occurrence of eye twitching may be categorized into different types, but generally refers to rippling contractions of the eyelid, most often the lower one.

When people ask what eye twitching is, they are usually referring to eyelid myokymia, as it is the most common and general form. According to one of our qualified Raie Eyewear optometrists, eyelid myokymia is a very common yet generally benign condition that may be caused by stress, fatigue and caffeine.

Other Terms for Eye Twitching The scientific terms for eye twitching are myokymia, which can be further categorized as hemifacial spasm and blepharospasm. Colloquially, it is often referred to simply as eyelid twitching or eye twitch. The scientific terms are more commonly used in professional and medical contexts, while the colloquial terms are used casually.

How Common is Eye Twitching? Certain types of eye twitching, such as eyelid myokymia, are very common. The National Library of Medicine associates this benign condition with stress, anxiety and fatigue. In contrast, blepharospasm is a rare eye condition that causes eye twitching.

Types of Eye Twitching The three main types of eye twitching are:

1. Eyelid myokymia: The most common type, eyelid myokymia is a benign condition brought on mainly by stress and fatigue. It involves fine, continuous contractions that mainly affect the lower eyelid.
2. Blepharospasm: Also known as benign essential blepharospasm, this rare type is defined as uncontrollable eye movements such as blinking and twitching. It occurs when the brain region controlling the eyelid muscles malfunctions. Symptoms may progress from occasional twitches to more intense twitching that completely closes the eyes.
3. Hemifacial spasm: This nervous system disorder causes the muscles on one side of the face, including the eye, to twitch and spasm involuntarily. It is often caused by a blood vessel pressing or pulsating on a facial nerve.

Causes of Eye Twitching Many causes of eye twitching can be addressed through lifestyle changes, including:

1. Stress: The most common cause, stress often manifests as sporadic spasms. Reducing stress through meditation, movement and breathing exercises may prevent twitches.
2. Caffeine intake: This stimulant, found in coffee, tea and soft drinks, can cause involuntary muscle movements, including in the eyelids. Reducing intake can limit twitching.
3. Fatigue from insufficient sleep: Lack of rest and recovery time can trigger twitches, as neurotransmitters controlling muscle movement are affected. Prioritizing 8 hours of sleep nightly is beneficial.
4. Strained eyes: Focusing intensely or for long periods, especially on computer work, can strain eye muscles and cause spasms and twitches. Uncorrected vision problems may also result in strain.
5. Anxiety: Being anxious or having an anxiety disorder can cause eye muscles to tense up. The resulting overstimulation may lead to twitching and spasms. Calming techniques like breathing exercises and meditation can help.

It is also possible for outdated contact lens prescriptions to cause eye strain that leads to twitching.

Symptoms of Eye Twitching In addition to the twitching itself, eye twitching may be accompanied by symptoms such as:

1. Eye irritation from the muscle spasms, which may be relieved with moisturizing eye drops
2. Vision problems like blurriness or strain
3. Facial spasms, especially with hemifacial spasms
4. Increased rate of blinking, particularly with blepharospasm

These symptoms usually occur when a person is stressed, anxious, fatigued, or has consumed excess caffeine. Making lifestyle changes can often manage or prevent them.

Risk Factors According to the Cleveland Clinic, women are twice as likely as men to develop benign essential blepharospasm and Meige syndrome, two conditions that cause eye twitching. The University of Michigan Health notes that essential blepharospasm more commonly develops later in life.

Diagnosis and Treatment An optometrist can diagnose eye twitching as part of a comprehensive eye exam. If twitching persists for more than a few days after reducing potential triggers like stress and caffeine, the American Optometric Association recommends seeing an eye care professional.

At Raie Eyewear, our skilled optometrists can provide eye exams to diagnose, manage and treat certain eye conditions. Treatment depends on the type of twitching:

• For eyelid myokymia, rest and reducing caffeine intake are often effective.
• Blepharospasm may be treated with botulinum toxin injections into the eye muscles, or surgery to remove some nerve tissue or muscles if injections are ineffective.
• Hemifacial spasm may also be treated with botulinum toxin injections or surgery.

While eye drops are rarely prescribed as a long-term treatment, maintaining a healthy diet and exercise may help prevent eyelid myokymia. Twitching often resolves within a few days, but if it persists or worsens, an eye care professional should be consulted.

Blepharospasm does not have a cure, but its symptoms can be managed with injections or surgery. There is no definitive evidence that blue light glasses reduce twitching, although they may help with eye strain. Raie Eyewear offers a blue light filter option for glasses.

Rarely, eyelid twitching may indicate a vitamin deficiency due to poor nutrition. Minerals and vitamins like calcium and vitamin D are integral to muscle function.

Here is the blog post rewritten for Raie Eyewear:

Bifocal Glasses Lenses: A Complete Guide

Bifocals glasses are designed to enable people to see both closeup and far away without the need to swap between multiple glasses. They have lenses that split into two segments containing two prescriptions.

What are bifocal glasses?

Bifocal glasses contain lenses that correct your vision to help you see up close and far away. Bifocal glasses, often referred to as bifocals, look like regular glasses but have a line separating the two prescriptions in the lens. The larger top area of the lens will contain the distance prescription which can help you see far away objects such as street signs and your tv. The smaller area at the bottom will hold the near/reading prescription, helping you do up-close activities such as reading and knitting. Bifocals can also have certain add-ons, such as an anti-reflective or anti-glare coating, applied to the lenses.

How do bifocal lenses work?

Bifocal lenses have both a distance and near prescription which is separated by a line across the centre. You use bifocals by moving your eyes behind the lenses according to the distance you wish to see. For example, if you are reading a book, you look through the bottom part of the lenses to see the words clearly. This minimises the need for a separate pair of reading glasses as you can see up close and far away all in one pair.

Nearsightedness vs farsightedness

Bifocals can be used to correct both nearsighted, and farsighted vision problems in the same pair of glasses. Learn more information about eye tests here.

Nearsighted vision correction

If you are nearsighted, you will be able to see better up close compared to objects that are further away from you. This can be corrected with single vision glasses, or lenses containing your distance prescription plus any close up prescription you may need e.g., bifocals and multifocals.

Farsighted vision correction

Farsighted vision means a person can see better at a distance compared to things up close. A correction for farsightedness can be made into either single vision glasses, bifocals or multifocals. Multifocals vs Bifocals

You may have heard of the terms multifocal and bifocal but not know the difference between them. Although they both are used for vision correction, there are some key differences between these glasses.

What are multifocal lenses?

Multifocal lenses allow you to view at three different distances, reducing the need to switch between your reading glasses, distance glasses and intermediate (or computer) glasses. With multifocals, you have everything you need in one pair! You can view your computer, read a book and go for a drive, all with your multifocal lenses.

The differences between multifocal and bifocal glasses

Whereas multifocals allow you to see at three different distances (near, intermediate and distance), bifocals contain only two prescriptions, near and distance. Multifocal glasses also have a smooth and seamless transition between prescriptions whereas bifocal lenses are broken up into separate segments. This is why multifocals are also often referred to as progressive lenses.

The cost of bifocal lenses

One pair of bifocal prescription glasses start from $299. Visit us in-store for a complete quote.

Do I need bifocal glasses?

Bifocal glasses are for people who would like to see up close and the distance without the hassle of constantly taking on and off their single vision glasses and/or minimising the need to switch between glasses. Presbyopia is an age-related eye condition that causes your near vision to become blurry leading you to need glasses for close up work. It is caused by the reduction in flexibility of your lens which occurs as you age. It often occurs between 40 and 50 years old. Book an eye test today with Raie Eyewear to find out if you need bifocals.

Source: Good vision for life

How long does it take to get used to bifocal glasses?

Because of the two different prescriptions in the one lens, it can take a few days to a few weeks to get used to bifocal glasses. Although there are some ways you can make this adjustment easier.

How can I make the adjustment to bifocals easier?

• Wear your new bifocals as often as possible. This will speed up the adjustment process.
• Start by wearing the glasses when sitting still in an environment that you are familiar with. Once you can get the hang of this, you can progress to walking around with them. As you become more accustomed to the glasses, you can then start to wear them outdoors and then drive with them on if or when required.
• Try not to switch back to old glasses as this can set back your progress.
• Don't look through the bottom of the lenses when you walk. This could distort your view as you are looking through the magnified, near prescription.
• Bifocals that are not fitted correctly can make it difficult to adjust. If you are still having trouble, come in-store and we can ensure they are fitted correctly to your face. We do have a 30 day warranty on our bifocals.