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Blepharospasm: eyelid twitching you can’t control, what causes it, the eye exam, and the treatment
For anyone whose eyelid has been twitching for days or weeks, anyone whose eyes squeeze shut on their own, and anyone told they have blepharospasm. It passes on, by name, what the National Eye Institute (NEI, part of the NIH) says: the signs and when to see your eye doctor; what causes it, and the many other things that make an eyelid twitch; the eye exam; and the treatments. It builds what to say and ask, and prints a card. Nothing is saved.
Right now
- A face that suddenly droops on one side, sudden weakness, or trouble speaking? Those are signs of a stroke, not a twitch: call 911 (ours: the NEI page does not name 911).
- Twitching for more than a few weeks, eyes that close completely, or other parts of your face twitching? NEI says to go to your eye doctor. Ours: until then, do not drive if your eyes may close on their own.
- It is all too much, or you have thoughts of suicide? Call or text 988, any hour, free (ours).
More help
- On this site: Dry eye · Blepharitis · Insomnia · Eyes and sight: find the right page.
- Also: Parkinson’s disease · Tics and Tourette syndrome · Glasses and eye exams you can afford · Low-cost health care.
- For you: My medicines · Get ready for your appointment. In an emergency: Help right now (988, 911). All our free tools.
Your eyes or your sight, and not sure this is the right page? The pages on this site for a hurt or pink eye, glaucoma, cataracts, diabetes and the eyes, macular degeneration, a detached retina, dry eye, fading sight and eye care you can afford, on one list.
This page and its wording were written with AI (Claude) for Scarlet Beast (our AI policy). No doctor or nurse has reviewed it. The facts were read on October 23, 2026 on the National Eye Institute’s (NIH) page Blepharospasm (last updated November 27, 2024). Ours: the 911 line for stroke signs and the 988 line; not driving while your eyes may close on their own; not stopping a medicine on your own; a short video for the visit; the notes on reading, screens, work and school; the questions; the card; the links to our other pages; and the order of the steps. What we left out: the research section (NEI points to its Rare Diseases page). This page gives no doses and no numbers about how many people have it: ask your eye doctor. Nothing you tick or type here is saved or sent.