While the experience of involuntary eye muscle movements called myokymia is universal, the explanation for its cause varies across cultures. In some cases, gender is relevant. When experienced, we may seek a physical or spiritual explanation.

Particularly in the right eye, twitching of the upper or lower eyelid muscles can have spiritual implications that explain personality traits, foreshadow life events, or hint of subconscious thoughts.

Deciphering the Meaning Behind Twitchy Right Eye

Medically, the explanation for eye twitching can stem from minor causes such as stress, dust particles in the eye, infection, over-tiredness, or caffeine intake.

In more severe cases, especially ones where spasms last longer than a few minutes, eye twitching can be caused by a corneal abrasion, conditions such as uveitis (eye inflammation), Tourette syndrome, or Parkinson’s disease. An ophthalmologist should check out chronic eye twitching.

Right Eye Twitching in Eastern Cultures 

The Chinese believe that the twitching of the right eye is a foreshadowing of coming events. What time of day the twitching occurs will determine whether these events are positive or negative. If the twitch occurs in the morning, it could mean you’ll experience an injury or accident, while twitching at night is lucky and foretells of the completion of a project you’ve been working on. 

However, Egyptians believe that when your right eye twitches, your body is sending a message of good news and prosperity, as the right side of the body symbolizes peace.

Egyptian superstition surrounding the eye is deep-rooted in today’s culture, as the symbol found on modern prescriptions can be attributed to the Egyptian “eye of Horus” which protects against evil. It has evolved to the recognizable Rx symbol currently used. 

The Japanese have a more sinister outlook on right eye twitching and believe that it’s a sign of impending early death when one experiences chronic right eye twitching. Given that chronic eye twitching could be a sign of more serious diseases, there may be some truth to this superstition. Modern medicine, however, can more easily distinguish serious eye problems from folklore and myth.

Right Eye Twitching in Western Cultures

In the Caribbean, if your right eye twitches, it means that someone is speaking positively of you, that good news is on the way, or that you will run into a long-lost friend. In Jamaica, twitching of the right eye happens just before you laugh, whereas left eye twitching foretells of bad news that may make you cry.

In Trinidad, off the Venezuela coast, several cultural superstitions surrounding right eye twitching converge, so the message the body is sending may be confusing. It could mean you’re the subject of good gossip, that good news will soon reach you, or that you’re destined for good luck. As in many other cultures, the body’s right side symbolizes positivity, while the left side embodies negativity.

Mexican culture maintains the idea that the right side of the body is good while the left side is bad and believes that the right eye’s twitching can foretell of a birth. However, this interpretation can be broad and doesn’t always mean the birth of a baby, but can also represent a change or transition, a new job or relationship, or the dawning of a new phase in life.

Right Eye Twitching in Astrology

As with many things in astrology, the explanation for right eye twitching is different for males and females. It is also specific to the eye’s orientation and parts that move and are not exclusive to the upper and lower eyelid muscles. These explanations allow for a more personalized understanding of right eye twitching, much like horoscopes offer highly personal predictions of your fate and destiny. 

For both genders, great importance is ascribed to the eyes, which many believe are the windows to the soul. For women, specifically, any involuntary movement of the right eye is a negative foreshadowing of things to come and means bad luck is about to befall them. Specifically, it may mean professional bad news, and in some cases a personal challenge is on the road ahead of them. 

However, this fortune is the opposite for men, and twitching of the right eye foretells of goodness about to befall them. If any part of the right eye moves involuntarily, including the muscles of the upper and lower lids, the pupil, or the iris, men should take this as an indication of a promotion at work, or that they’re about to experience a financial windfall.

Physical Causes of Right Eye Twitching

Usually, the physical causes of eye twitching are harmless and shouldn’t be cause for concern. Eye twitching in the upper or lower eyelid is common and mostly doesn’t require medical intervention. You may find your eyes twitching if you have looked directly into a bright light or if you’re experiencing an incredibly stressful period of your life. Overconsumption of caffeine may also cause the eye to twitch.

If the condition becomes chronic or lasts for longer than a minute or two, you may want to consult an optometrist or ophthalmologist. It may be an indication of a more serious condition or disease. It may be hard to distinguish when to see a doctor about eye twitching, but if the twitching becomes a detriment or distraction to your daily life, it’s time to seek medical attention.

More serious conditions related to eye twitching include Tourette syndrome, Parkinson’s disease, or Bell’s palsy, all of which affect the face’s nerves and may cause uncontrollable muscle movements. In these cases, other symptoms may also be present, and the eye’s twitching will not be the only sign that something is wrong. When in doubt, it’s best to contact your medical care provider.

How to Stop Eye Twitching

While eye twitching is usually harmless, it can be an annoying and sometimes embarrassing nuisance. The key to stopping eye twitching is usually prevention, and understanding the cause is the best way to prevent it from happening before it starts.

If you find that your eye twitching continues to be an issue despite preventative efforts, you should seek professional medical attention for diagnosis and treatment.

You can prevent common causes of eye twitching with small lifestyle changes. Ensuring that you’re getting enough sleep is the most effective way to avoid eye muscles’ spasms. Lowing your caffeine intake is another way to easily and effectively prevent annoying eye twitching throughout the day. If you wear contact lenses, ensuring they’re clean and free of dust can also help ease eye twitching symptoms.

Muscle spasms in the eye can occur as a side effect of certain medications, specifically antihistamines, commonly taken for cold and allergy symptoms or SSRI’s, which help treat many kinds of depression. If you find that this eye twitching is related to a new prescription, you should consult your physician, as it may indicate that you need a lower dosage.

Spiritual Meaning of Left Eye Twitching

Most cultures distinguish between the left and right sides of the body, and superstitions related to the right side are more positive than those associated with the left. For this reason, most folklore says that the twitching of the left eye is a spiritual indication that bad things are on the horizon, and you should take them as an omen of bad luck.

In some cultures, such as those practiced in India, and in many astrological beliefs, the distinction is by gender rather than sides of the body. Left eye twitching in men is a sign of good luck, whereas women should be forewarned that something bad will happen. This superstition holds true for hand itching and twitching, as the right side of the body is more closely associated with God.

African folklore takes a different approach to left eye twitching and believes that if the left lower lid twitches, it is a sign that you will soon be releasing many tears in response to bad news that will befall you. The twitching of the upper left eyelid is more positive and means an unexpected or long-awaited visitor will soon find you.

Conclusion

Searching for the spiritual meaning of right eye twitching is geographically specific and determines whether the message sent by the body is positive or negative. The time of day, part of the eye, the gender of the person affected, and cultural background all help explain the meaning of right eye twitching. While some differences exist, most cultures have some superstition level surrounding the left and right eye spasms or twitching. 

While there are many physical, spiritual, and superstitious interpretations of right eye twitching, it is always important to determine the causes of chronic eye twitching and eliminate serious medical problems. You should consult your physician any time the twitching becomes an interruption to your life, regardless of which eye, or which part of the eye, is causing distress.