We all know that there are quite a lot of external and internal changes that happens to a woman’s body during the course of pregnancy. Feet swelling up, spiking hormone levels and constant dashes to the restroom are all normal, but did you know that a woman’s eyes can also undergo some major changes during her pregnancy?
Due to the rising blood pressure and increase in bodily fluids, a woman’s eyes can easily swell up during pregnancy. You won’t be able to see any external swelling (because it’s only a fractional degree of swelling) but the changes can cause blurry vision.
Other than the swelling, the shape of a woman’s cornea changes during pregnancy, in some cases causing some serious discomfort in women who wear contact lenses. Many women might have to check in with their optometrist during pregnancy to get either their lens prescription or the prescription for their reading glasses changed.
There seems to be a myth regarding having your eyes tested during pregnancy that says it’s not safe for women to have their eyes dilated when they are pregnant. Just to be clear here, this myth is TOTALLY BUSTED. Not only is an eye exam completely safe during pregnancy, it’s also highly recommended for a mom-to-be to have a comprehensive eye exam done during pregnancy.
Women who suffer from diabetes, high blood pressure, glaucoma and even those who underwent fertility treatments are especially susceptible to vision changes during pregnancy. Most women reported being a little more nearsighted during the time of their pregnancy, compared to before they got pregnant.
The following symptoms aren’t normal for eye changes during pregnancy, so if you experience any of them, see your optometrist immediately:
- Double Vision
- Extremely Blurry Vision for prolonged times
- Extreme Sensitivity to Light
- Loss of vision
- Seeing spots or Flashing Lights
The changes that you might be experiencing regarding your eyesight during pregnancy will most likely only be minor and the good thing about this is that your eyes will return to normal once you have given birth, although some women do still report blurry vision during the breastfeeding stages.
Getting a new prescription for your spectacles probably won’t be necessary either, unless you’re experiencing a significant change in your vision, in which case you should go see your optometrist just to be on the safe side.
Date Published: 08 July 2015
