Why do my eyes flutter?

[Kaja9584]

I am 22 year old and this has been going on since at least my pre teen years. It doesn’t happen very often and it happens randomly. My eyes will “flutter”. That’s the only way I can describe it. My eyes seem to move rapidly for a second if that. Never long than a second. It does cause that temp blindness from the rapid speed my eyes move at when it happens. It always happens when my eyes are open. Never closed. I have Harv always had headache problems and ear problems so I’m not sure if that’s connected. I was diagnosed with astigmatism when I was a young child but from what I understand this eye fluttering has nothing to do with it. I have also been tested for seizures and wasn’t found to have a seizure disorder although my mom does have one and also has the same eye fluttering problem

[JohnHaganMD]

So just to clarify its the eye that flutters not the eyelid. And its not present all the time.  Fluttering movements of the eye generally fall into what is called nystagmus. Most nystagmus is present all the time. Intermittent nystagmus can be part of seizure disorders, intermittent use of alcohol or narcotics/cannabis/opoid/drug intoxication.  If your mother has the same problem is could be a rare hereditary problem.

[Kaja9584]

My mother has epilepsy as well. I’ve been tested but they could not find anything. I DO NOT use drugs either. Should I see an eye doctor about this or my normal?

[Kaja9584]

Yes the eyeball. Not eye lids

[DoingtheResearch]

Kaja- I wondered if you ever found any answers to your condition? I assumed drug use wasn't the problem.  You state that your mom has been diagnosed with epilepsy but did that include an abnormal EEG reading?   I've heard of many people misdiagnosed that turned out to have other conditions.  There are verified EEG readouts with spikes during and after a seizure for a confirmed diagnose of epilepsy.  Don't take mom's diagnose as gospel unless this is the case.  
To your case, only a small percentage of the time is epilepsy inherited.  Your eye flutter could manifest in the brain and present as your eye flutter. But it's also possible that there could be an issue with your trigeminal nerve.  There are three branches that control muscles/sensory input that involve the ear and eyes(among other things) as well.  You're not clear on what your "ear issue" is but if your sensitive to noise it's possible it relates to the trigeminal nerve.  Other people have astigmatisms and their seizure/eye flutter activity  has gotten worse as their sight gets worse.  

Please do some research on this nerve to understand it and what it controls before you discuss it with your doctor.  Or consider getting a second opinion from another doctor.  

A couple of questions- Is there any commonalities when your eyes flutter?  Bright lights,Glare, time of day, tired eyes,  sunlight, in other words "triggers".  Also,  what color are your eyes?  Thanks!

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

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