Vision Changes during Pregnancy

Your body experiences many changes during pregnancy – some are common; some are a bit odd. Many women report changes in their vision as fluctuating hormones; metabolic rate; circulation and fluid retention all affect your eyesight.

The thickness and curvature of the cornea (the clear part at the front of the eye through which light is refracted to form an image), can change due to water retention.

This can impact how well you see, even if you wear glasses or contact lenses- it’s should go away after birth and it’s just one of the reasons you shouldn’t get laser eye surgery while pregnant.

Any existing eye conditions can change too; for example diabetics need to be very careful and get frequent eye exams to monitor for diabetic retinopathy, whereas people with glaucoma often notice an improvement in symptoms.

Dry Eyes

Dry, irritated eyes are a common complaint during pregnancy or nursing, which might make contact lenses more difficult to wear. Some over-the-counter solutions are fine to use, but you need to ensure that they do not contain active ingredients that may not be completely safe during pregnancy.

If you use contact lenses, try wearing them for shorter stretches of time. If that doesn't help, switch to glasses until you have your baby.

Make regular breaks from the computer part of your routine. Staring at a computer screen for long periods of time (during which you may not blink as frequently as usual) can exacerbate the dryness and irritation.

Cause for Concern

Some potentially dangerous conditions can cause specific eye problems during pregnancy, such as high blood pressure or preeclampsia; always contact your doctor if you have any of the following symptoms:

• double vision
• blurry vision
• sensitivity to light
• temporary loss of vision
• seeing spots or flashing lights

Once you have finished breastfeeding and are not planning on becoming pregnant anytime soon, you can establish whether or not any vision changes have disappeared.

If you rely on corrective eyewear and would like to be free of fiddly contact lenses or worry about losing your glasses, a free consultation at any of the Optilase eye clinics will help you find out if you are a candidate for laser eye surgery.

Call +353 1 223 8821 or see our contact page.