Eyelid twitching, something that many people experience in the hustle and bustle of daily life, is usually considered harmless, but in some cases, it may be an important signal from the body.

Sometimes we feel a small area twitching lightly-sometimes on our eyelid, sometimes on our leg. In such moments, we often say to someone next to us, “My eye is twitching, look, it’s pulsing-can you see it?” to have the movement confirmed. These kinds of visible, small contractions are known as fasciculations. Fasciculations are movements that occur when bundles of muscle fibers under the skin, called fascicles, randomly contract and relax, causing a slight movement in the skin of the affected area.

The involuntary movement of muscle fibers occurs as a result of sudden irritation of a lower motor neuron in the spinal cord. Since these nerve cells control an entire group of muscle fibers, all the fibers contract at once. Because fasciculations do not pose any danger, there is no detailed scientific research on the subject. However, experts suggest that insufficient sleep, magnesium deficiency, excessive exercise, and high caffeine consumption can trigger such muscle twitches.

When Is Eye Twitching A Sign Of Danger?
While experts emphasize that eyelid twitching is mostly harmless, they point out that an eye doctor should be consulted in the following cases:

• If the twitching lasts longer than a few weeks,
• If the eyelid completely closes or has difficulty opening,
• If the twitching spreads to other parts of the face.

May 2025