During pregnancy, your body undergoes numerous changes—physically and hormonally. While most expecting mothers commonly experience morning sickness, weight gain, and swollen ankles, what many don’t know is that pregnancy can also affect their eyes.
Hormonal changes can lead to changes in eyesight, some of which may be temporary, while others may persist even after pregnancy. In this post, we’ll explore how pregnancy affects your eyesight and ways to deal with them.
Blurry vision
Blurry vision is one of the most common eyesight problems women experience during pregnancy. Several factors can cause vision to become blurry during pregnancy, including:.
- Hormonal changes: During pregnancy, your body produces an increased amount of hormones, which can affect the size and shape of your cornea, the transparent dome-shaped front part of your eye. With a changed cornea shape, light gets refracted differently, leading to blurred vision.
- Fluid retention: Swelling commonly occurs in different parts of the body during pregnancy, including the eyes. Swelling of the cornea due to excess fluid may lead to astigmatism, nearsightedness, or farsightedness, which can cause blurred vision.
- Changes in blood pressure: High blood pressure can cause blurred vision, a condition known as preeclampsia, which can be harmful to both the mother and the baby.
While most blurry vision cases in pregnancy are temporary and generally go away after delivery, it’s important to talk to your eye doctor if you experience persistent blurry vision as it may indicate an underlying eye problem.
Dry Eyes
Dry eye is a common eye problem that results from a lack of lubrication of the eyes, leading to discomfort, itchiness, and even inflammation. During pregnancy, hormonal changes can affect tear production, leading to dry eyes.
As your body handles increasing demands, it’s imperative to stay hydrated, maintain good eye hygiene, and avoid staying in dry and dusty areas. Over-the-counter eye drops can also ease dry eye symptoms. However, it’s important to see your doctor if your dry eye symptoms persist or worsen.
Retinal Damage
Pregnant women who have diabetes are more prone to developing diabetic retinopathy, an eye condition that damages the retina’s blood vessels, leading to blurriness, dark spots, or even blindness.
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Changes in vision during pregnancy
Rapid changes in blood sugar levels can happen during pregnancy, leading to retinal damage in diabetic women. It’s important to closely monitor your blood sugar levels during pregnancy and see your eye doctor regularly to prevent or manage diabetic retinopathy.
Increased Sensitivity to Light
Some pregnant women experience increased sensitivity to light, a condition known as photophobia. Photophobia can result from hormonal changes, migraines, or simply a decrease in tolerance to bright light.
Staying away from bright lights, wearing sunglasses, and avoiding bright screens such as those from computers or smartphones can help ease photophobia symptoms.
Eye Exams During Pregnancy
It’s recommended that pregnant women have a comprehensive eye exam during their first trimester. Eye exams are safe for pregnant women and can help detect and treat potential eyesight problems early on.
If you do have an eye problem, your doctor can recommend treatment measures that will be safe for both you and your baby. If you already wear contact lenses, it’s important to review contact lens hygiene and follow safe contact lens-wearing habits to avoid eye infections that may cause complications during pregnancy.
Conclusion
Pregnancy can bring about numerous changes to your body and affect your eyesight in many ways. Hormonal changes, fluid retention, and changes in blood pressure can cause issues such as blurry vision, dry eyes, photophobia, and diabetic retinopathy.
As an expecting mother, it’s important to pay attention to your eyesight and seek medical help when necessary. Having a comprehensive eye exam during your first trimester and following good eye hygiene habits can ensure that your eyes stay healthy throughout your pregnancy and beyond.
