Pregnancy Can Have Some Surprising Effects on Your Eyes
The last thing that any pregnant woman wants is to experience side effects beyond the norm. Unfortunately, the physiological changes that a pregnant woman’s body goes through can have effects in other parts of the body, including the eyes. Along with the classic side effects of pregnancy – the nausea, weight gain, water retention, cravings, and mood swings – pregnancy can also have some more surprising effects on your body.
Though it’s typically nothing to spend too much time worrying about, these effects can necessitate a quick visit to the eye doctor, temporary corrective lenses, and other measures to keep your eyes healthy as you weather the remaining weeks of pregnancy.
Read on for a complete list of common pregnancy side effects affecting the eyes and eyesight, and what can be done about them.
Blurry Vision and Pregnancy
The hormonal changes that accompany the various stages of pregnancy can have some surprising effects on your eyes. For example, your corneas may thin and change in size and shape. This can also be caused by the water retention that often accompanies pregnancy.
While these changes may be alarming, they generally do not necessitate corrective lenses, a change in lenses, or a new prescription. Pregnancy is usually regarded as a bad time to change glasses, as changes to the eye and vision caused by hormonal changes and water retention are typically only temporary.
Dry Eyes and Contact Lenses During Pregnancy
Changes to a woman’s body during pregnancy can also cause contact lenses to become uncomfortable to wear. Between the changes in the size and shape of the cornea and a natural drying of the eyes, contacts may need to be set aside for after the delivery of the baby. See your caregiver or your eye doctor for help with dry eyes during pregnancy.
Pre-Existing Vision Conditions Affected by Pregnancy
Changes that a woman’s body undergoes during pregnancy can also exacerbate preexisting conditions such as glaucoma, diabetes, and hypertension. Some of these conditions can become evident due to changes that manifest in the woman’s vision.
Preeclampsia (pregnancy driven hypertension) can affect the eyesight, as can preexisting diabetes or glaucoma. If you have any of these conditions prior to getting pregnant, make sure to discuss how they can affect your eyes with both your caregiver and your eye doctor.
When It’s Time to See an Eye Doctor
If you have any of the following vision symptoms during pregnancy, then you should immediately consult with your primary caregiver and/or your eye doctor:
- Temporary loss of vision
- Sensitivity to light
- Blurry vision
- Double vision
- Seeing flashing lights or spots
Also, see your caregiver if your eyes hurt, become red, or if the tissue surrounding your eyes swells or becomes puffy, as all of these can be symptoms of serious underlying conditions.
[Photo via: Pixabay]
