How Your Eyesight Changes During Pregnancy

Pregnancy is accompanied by a whole host of side effects and changes to the body, both hormonal and physical.

You might be prepared for and have accepted the morning sickness and lower back pain, but you might find yourself surprised when your vision changes.

The majority of issues are minor and temporary. Your sight should return to normal after your baby is born. However, some problems linked to pregnancy might require medical attention.

What To Look Out For:

Blurred Vision

Some pregnant women may notice mild changes to their vision and feel that their prescription needs updating. Many women retain fluid during pregnancy, which can also occur in the lens and the cornea. This common side effect can alter the thickness and shape of your cornea, which is what causes distorted vision.

Blurred vision may occur with or without corrective lenses, in one or both eyes or in only part of your field of vision.

We advise you to monitor your vision as it returns to normal, once you have had the baby or stopped breastfeeding.

Pigmentary Changes

During pregnancy, there is the possibility of pigmentary changes to the skin. This is reversible and can affect as many as 90% of pregnant women. This temporary increase in pigmentation can affect the eyelids and also cause existing pigmentation, called a naevus, to increase in size.

Generally, this only requires observation.

Dry Eyes

Hormonal changes during pregnancy can alter the structure of the tear film, leading to dry eye. This can cause the eyes to feel gritty and make wearing contact lenses uncomfortable.

Preservative-free artificial tears can help alleviate discomfort, and your optometrist can advise you on the best option to use. Note: Some preservatives can harm soft contact lenses; therefore, always check the label to ensure the drops are compatible with contacts.

Hypertension

Pregnancy-induced hypertension is a type of high blood pressure that develops after 20 weeks and goes away within 6 weeks of the baby’s birth. It is also known as gestational hypertension or gestational high blood pressure.

Hypertension may be indicated by symptoms such as blurring or loss of vision, double vision, increased light sensitivity, or flashes and floaters.

If you experience any of these, you should promptly seek advice from your optometrist or GP/midwife.

Pre-Eclampsia

Vision changes can be a sign of pre-eclampsia, a potentially serious problem that occurs in a small number of pregnant women. It’s marked by high blood pressure and protein in your urine.

Symptoms also include:

• Temporary loss of vision
• Light sensitivity
• Blurry vision
• Seeing auras, flashing lights, or spots
• A sudden increase in swelling in your face, hands, or feet
• A very bad headache or a dull headache that won’t go away
• Severe pain just below your ribs
• Feeling sick or vomiting

Contact your midwife or GP immediately if you have any of these symptoms. Pre-eclampsia can progress rapidly and cause bleeding and other serious problems.

Diabetes

High blood sugar levels linked to diabetes can damage the small blood vessels that supply your retina. The chances go up as your pregnancy progresses. A temporary form of diabetes that sometimes affects pregnant women, called gestational diabetes, can also cause blurred vision.

If you have diabetes, keep a close eye on it whilst you’re pregnant. If you get gestational diabetes, make sure your blood sugar levels don’t get too high. Your doctor can help with this.

If you have diabetes, your eyes might also be affected by diabetic retinopathy. You can read all about it in our Diabetic Retinopathy Guide here.

Pre-Existing Eye Conditions

Blurred vision may be a symptom of an eye condition that can worsen during pregnancy.

These conditions include:

• Diabetic retinopathy
• Graves’ disease
• Idiopathic intracranial hypertension
• Multiple sclerosis (MS)
• Tumours like pituitary adenomas
• Uveitis

 

If you have other associated general health conditions, such as diabetes or thyroid disease, that are known to impact the eyes, it is important that a medical professional regularly reviews these.

If you are already on treatment for a pre-existing eye condition, you should check that any treatment or medication you take is safe during pregnancy.

Women being treated for glaucoma should tell their optometrist right away if they are pregnant or intend to become pregnant. While many glaucoma medications are safe to take during pregnancy, certain glaucoma medications, such as carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, can be harmful to the developing baby.

 

Worried about your eyesight? Book in for a comprehensive eye exam with Opticare Opticians today.