Myoclonus

Have you ever heard of myoclonus? It is a neurological condition characterized by rapid contraction and relaxation of muscle. It's much more common than you probably think. Hiccups? They're myoclonic spasms of the diaphragm. How about that night when you were just about to fall asleep, and you suddenly jerked awake, simultaneously elbowing your spouse or the wall? That's also a form of myoclonus called "hypnic jerks."

A couple years ago, I (Rory) noticed that my eyelid would shift over the top of my eyeball when I would get tired or stressed. It's happened periodically since then, but about 2 weeks ago it started up, and has been happening almost constantly since then. So, I decided to figure out exactly what it was. My particular condition is called Blepharospasm. It can be caused by a lot of things, including corneal irritation, stress, lack of sleep or eye strain.

Bad news? It gets worse if you think about it frequently (I can't help it... it's my freaking eyelid!) It has been connected to Alzheimer's (but I'm only 24!!), and it may also be a symptom of lesions of the cortex, subcortex, or spinal cord.

Good news? I'm pretty sure it's from a combination of sun exposure to my eyes, wearing my disposable contacts for twice as long as I'm supposed to, and stress from life. I'm going to bed now.