Is your Left Eye Twitching Good or Bad?

Everyone in this world has suffered through one common problem-eye twitching, no matter where they live, what they do, what their gender is, and which culture they belong to. While some have ancient misconceptions associated with eye twitching and consider the problem as an indicator of any good or bad omen, there are other people who consider this as a health issue.

We often find people asking questions like “what does it mean when your left eye jumps?”. The next time you hear someone asking the same, tell them it’s normal, and the reason might be either lack of sleep, some irritation, allergies, or their stress. It's a natural process, not a harbinger of some good or bad omen, so stop worrying yourself about the problem.

There are many practical and reasonable logic behind eye twitching, but before we talk about it let’s get a knack of eye twitching.

What Causes Eye Twitching?

"Why do our eyes start twitching sometimes?" do you have a similar question? No one knows the exact reason of the involuntary action of eye twitching. The doctors have suggested that it can be due to various reasons, but there's no one specific reason that causes twitching in the eye.  

The doctors refer this twitching of eyes with a different term, "myokymia" and cite different reasons for the same. Some of them are mentioned below:

#1. High level of Stress

#2. Alcohol Consumption

#3. Allergies

#4. Too much Caffeine intake

(Image Courtesy: Science Daily)

#5. Tiredness

#6. Eye Strain

#7. Lack of Vitamin B 12

#8. Lack of Vitamin D

#9. Cornea inflammation

#10. Lack of adequate sleep

Causes Of Eye Twitching

#1. Dry eyes can be a good reason causing your eyes to twitch. As we all read in the Biology class, normal healthy eyes or the eyelids should be well moist and lubricated in order to function properly. And the tears from lachrymatory glands in our eyes act as lubricators, keeping our eyelids moist. However, some people have dry eyes due to dehydration of their body fluids, and for these people, eye twitching will be a very common problem.  

#2. Eye infection is another cause of eye twitching. Some of us unknowingly develop an infection in our eyes from bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Infection in one eye or two eyes can result into conjunctivitis and stye infection, which can lead to constant spasm (involuntary eye twitching).

(Image Courtesy: UPMC Health Beat)

#3. Some of us work overnight which decreases our sleeping hours. The lack of proper sleep is often linked to eye twitching. Our body relaxes when while we sleep and that is necessary for effective health functioning of the nerve coordination. Thus, lack of sleeping makes your eye muscles to get fatigue hence initiate spasms in your eye.

#4. Mental stress and fatigue are also the possible reasons behind the twitching of eyes. If an individual is highly stressed, he/she can experience twitching in their eyes. The human brain is the centre of all nerve coordination, and if it is subjected to even a little stress, then the immediate outcome is the twitching of eyes. A friend of mine had a similar problem, and his eyes kept twitching for about a week. When he visited the doctor, the doctor told him that the twitching was because of his never-ending work stress.

#5. Irritation due to outside pollution can cause sensitivity in your eyes resulting in eye twitching. The human eyes are very sensitive to environmental pollution like smoke, dust particles and harmful chemicals; and these pollutants can cause irritation in your eyes, causing involuntary spasms/twitching in your eyes.

Eye Twitching Superstition In Different Cultures

Lack of knowledge about anything can lead people to build theories around it. In ancient times, people had multiple theories and misconceptions regarding solar and lunar eclipses. Similarly, due to lack of proper knowledge about involuntary eye twitching, there are some myths/misconception in every culture. Below are some fascinating misconceptions related to eye twitching.  

#1. Eye Twitching Superstitions In Chinese Culture

According to the Chinese culture, there are different meanings to eye twitching depending on the eye which is twitching, and the time. For example, if your left eye is twitching in the midnight between 11 PM to 1 AM, it is said that the person might get a personal visit from a nobleman. Whereas, if it is your right eye that's twitching, the Chinese people believe that the person might receive an invitation to a party or a feast.  

(Image Courtesy: Fireden)

#2. Eye Twitching Superstitions From The Indian Culture

In the Indian culture, the superstitions are quite the opposite to the Chinese culture, and the inferences are derived depending on the eye which is twitching, the gender of the person, and the part of the eye that twitches. So, if two people are facing similar eye twitching problem, the chances are that their individual twitchings might have different meanings.

For example, if the right eye is twitching, it is usually considered as a good sign. But, the same applies to only males twitching their right eye which is considered as a good sign. However, if the right eye of a woman is twitching, the same could be a sign of a bad omen for the woman.  

Similarly, if the left eye of a woman is twitching, she could be receiving a good news or anything blissful is suppose to happen in her life. The meaning is exactly opposite in case of man's left eye twitching.

#3. Eye Twitching Superstitions Among Africans

Not all Africans, only the Nigerians and the Cameroonians (inhabitants of Cameroon, a central African country) have superstitions regarding eye twitching.

Starting with Cameroon, Cameroonians believe that twitching of the eyelid of the left eye indicates the occurrence of an event or something similar that will lead to crying or sad news. However, Cameroonians say that twitching of the upper eyelid indicates a surprise visit from the least expected person in your life.  

(Image Courtesy: Food Pyramid)

Coming to Nigerians, they have similar beliefs to that of Indians. According to them, twitching of left eye indicates a bad omen or bad luck.  

#4. Eye Twitching Superstition From Hawaii

In the Hawaiian culture, the people have three superstitions regarding eye twitching.  According to them, if your left eye is twitching, be prepared for a visit by a stranger at your home. Now, according to the second belief, if the same left eye is twitching again and again, constantly, then this is an indication of emerging death of some member of the family. However, when someone twitches the right eye, then it is believed that a child is about to be born. 

The third one is a little similar to the Indian superstition related to the twitching of the left eyebrow. In the Hawaiian culture, if your right eye is twitching, be prepared to get a good news and welcome a new member to the family. Hawaiian people believe that if the right eye is twitching, a child is about to be born in the family.

Even after saying all this, you might continue to believe on the misconception regarding eye twitching depending on your culture. But, to be very honest, eye twitching has nothing to do with any good or bad things happening in your life. It’s okay if the two things coincide, but assuming a simple eye twitching to be the cause of any incident in your life is unpractical.

We hope you liked the article. Let us know your thoughts, what you believe, or what you think of the article using the comment section below. Let us know if you feel like sharing your opinion on this matter, and we’ll share it with everyone.

(Featured Image Courtesy: Vital)