DOES TWITCHING OF EYES MEAN SOMETHING?

Everyone must have experienced twitching of eyes…but what does it mean?

Of course you may expect a scientific reason but first I'll let you know some interesting superstitious meanings too… 

Physical sensations such as eye twitches and tics have been accorded a greater sensation in China than in the West. In the West, there are traditions such as if your ear burns, someone is talking about you, but China has developed a highly complex system of fortune telling based upon these sensations. These predictions here are based on the writing in The Chinese Almanac or Tung Shu and has its history for thousands of years in China.

The most important aspect is to remember when you first felt the sensation. Then refer to the period of time listed below to see what the meaning of this sign is. Please do not take these predictions as the gospel truth or the actual prediction as it is only a form of beliefs practised in the olden days in China.

11pm – 1am

Twitches or tics in the left eye means a noblemen will come to see you. If the right it means you will be invited to a party or feast.

1am – 3am

If in the left eye, this means that something will happen to worry you. If the right eye, then someone is thinking about you.

3am – 5am

If in the left eye, this means that a friend from afar will come and visit you. If the right eye, this means a happy event awaits you.

5am – 7am

In the left eye, this means that a special guest will come. If in the right eye, then everything will go well.

7am – 9am

In the left eye, this means a close friend will come from afar. If in the right eye, then expect a slight injury.

9am – 11am

In the left eye, this means you will go to a party or feast. If the right eye, you will have a quarrel or a disaster.

11am – 1pm

If the left eye, this means you will eat and drink heartily. If the right eye, beware or there will be a disaster.

1pm – 3pm

In the left eye, this means that you are safe and plans go well. In the right eye, it means that you will have a minor happy event.

3pm – 5pm

In the left eye, it means you will lose money. In the right eye, then you will be thinking of your loved one very much.

5pm – 7pm

In the left eye, this means a guest is coming. This is also true for the right eye, but from far away.

7pm -9pm

In the left eye, this means a guest is coming. In the right eye, it means you will go to a big gathering.

9pm – 11pm

In the left eye, it means that a friend is coming. In the right eye, beware of trouble in court.

Well, since my posts do not allow my readers to be superstitious, here are the scientific reasons for twitching of eyes…..

Eye twitching, eyelid tics and spasms are pretty common. Usually only the bottom lid of one eye is involved, but the top eyelid also can twitch. Most eye twitches come and go, although they can last for weeks or even months.

To find a solution for eye twitching, we needed to determine the underlying cause of this annoying problem. Called myokymia in doctor lingo, these rippling muscle contractions in an eyelid can be triggered by:

Stress: While we're all under stress at times, our bodies react in different ways. Eye twitching can be one sign of stress, especially when it is related to vision problems such as eye strain (see below). Reducing the cause of the stress can help make the twitching stop.

Tiredness: A lack of sleep, whether because of stress or some other reason, can trigger eyelid spasms. Catching up on your sleep can help.

Eye strain: Vision-related stress can occur if, for instance, you need glasses or a change of glasses. Your eyes may be working too hard, triggering eyelid twitching.

Computer eye strain from overuse of computers, tablets and smartphones is also a very common cause of vision-related stress.

If your eyelid twitching is persistent and very annoying (like the problem experienced by my patient's wife), you should have an eye exam, because you may need vision correction.

If you spend a lot of time on the computer, you also should consider talking to your eye doctor about special computer eyeglasses.

Caffeine and alcohol: Many experts believe that too much caffeine and/or alcohol can trigger eye twitching. If your caffeine (coffee, tea, soda pop, etc.) and/or alcohol intake has increased, cutting back is worth a try.

Dry eyes: More than half of the older population experiences dry eyes, due to aging. Dry eyes also are very common for people who use computers, take certain medications (antihistamines, antidepressants, etc.), wear contact lenses and consume caffeine and/or alcohol. If you are tired and under stress, you also may develop dry eye.

It's best to see your eye doctor for a dry eye evaluation, because many treatments are now available.

Nutritional imbalances: Some reports indicate a lack of certain nutritional substances, such as magnesium, can trigger eyelid spasms. Although these reports lack scientific evidence, I can't rule this out as a possible cause of eye twitching.

If you suspect a nutritional deficiency may be affecting you, however, I suggest talking this over with your family doctor for expert advice rather than randomly buying over-the-counter nutritional products.

Allergies: People with eye allergies can have itching, swelling and watery eyes. When eyes are rubbed, this releases histamine into the lid tissues and the tears. This is significant, because some evidence indicates that histamine can cause eyelid twitching.

To offset this problem, some eye doctors have recommended antihistamine eye drops or tablets to help some eyelid twitches. But remember that antihistamines also can cause dry eyes. It's best to work with your eye doctor to make sure you're doing the right thing for your eyes.