Pregnancy, Eye Health and Contacts

Understandably, pregnancy is a time of great joy and expectation; but, as you have been told to expect by your doctor, it is also a time of metabolic shifts in your body—resulting in some symptoms that prove stressful and cause a little concern.

With all the other hormonal and physical changes going on, it should not be surprising that eyesight can also be affected. For the most part, these signs are relatively minor and should not trigger undue worry; they occur as part of a conventional pregnancy, and revert to normal after giving birth. Your eye doctor should be alerted to the fact you are expecting so that any prenatal changes can be adequately monitored, especially if there are pre-existing eye conditions.

The same blood pressure and fluid fluctuations in the body that produce swollen feet, etc., also changes the shape of your eyes. The most common development is a thickening in the curvature of the cornea, which alters refraction (the ‘bending’ of light through the cornea to the retina). This sometimes manifests itself in pronounced near- or farsightedness—the greater numbers of women with any significant refractive change experiencing the former. Also, because of eye swelling, contact lenses may suddenly become less comfortable. When this occurs, cease using them until you decide whether or not to continue with a new pair (fitted by your eye doctor). Since we are talking about a finite period of time until post-natal eyes re-stabilize, you may want to just ‘put up’ with eyeglasses for the duration of your term. If you stay in contacts, think about wearing any new lenses for shorter periods to lessen chances of further discomfort.

Dry eyes can also be a problem during pregnancy. This is exacerbated if you do a lot of work at the computer, or other work that requires long stretches of concentration. Blinking decreases during these times, lessening the natural wetting of the eyes. Lubricating drops can readily alleviate this lack of moisture, as most are safe to use for expecting mothers. Contact lens solutions and cleaners pose no problem, as well.

Symptoms to watch out for, as they signal a need to see your doctor, include double or blurry vision, temporary vision loss, seeing spots or flashing lights, and eye pain or redness. Sensitivity to light may occur due to hormonally triggered migraine headaches; a physician must okay any medication used to treat them. The risk of developing diabetes increases during pregnancy and certainly anyone previously diagnosed with the condition should get a full eye exam.

Having your eye physician as an integral part of your pregnancy care regimen is a wise decision; they can answer any questions regarding your eye health and help in relieving some stressful moments during these expectant days.