Pregnancy is a period of many changes in a woman’s body. We all know about the growing belly bump, swelling in legs, hormonal imbalances, and mood swings, but very few know that a woman’s vision changes too.
Comes off as a surprise, right? Well, the good thing about these ocular changes is that they are reversible. However, some of these changes require close monitoring and prompt management.
Here’s a Breakdown of All The Vision and Ocular Changes You Can Expect During Pregnancy.
1. Blurry Vision and Dry Eyes
Your eyes have a lacrimal system. This system helps produce tears in your eye to keep it moist and free of dust. Hormonal changes during pregnancy cause this system to be dysfunctional. Thus leading to dry eye syndrome.
Let’s understand it better. There is an upregulation in estrogen and progesterone production. Additionally, something called dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) reduces by 50%. Why is this important? Well, DHEA maintains the structure of your lacrimal glands.
Therefore, in addition to dryness, the cornea can become less sensitive, possibly due to increased fluid retention. This can make wearing contact lenses more difficult or even risky during pregnancy.
2. Refractive Changes
One important change that happens during pregnancy is water retention. This water retention causes the corneal thickness and curvature to increase in the second and third trimesters. This impacts the way light refracts to form visual images.
There’s some good news. These vision changes usually come back to normal after childbirth. But if, for some reason, it does not, make a note of this: the refraction needs to stabilize. As a result, you can do LASIK treatment or use new prescription glasses or contact lenses 3 to 6 months after childbirth.
3. Increased Sensitivity to Light
It is believed that about 15-20% of women have migraines during pregnancy. Now, what are migraines? They are pesky painful headaches that feel like intense throbbing or pulsing pain on one or both sides of the head. What it does to you besides pain is increase your sensitivity to light.
Pregnant women may notice migraines in the early months. It is common and usually isn’t a cause of concern. The good thing is that these migraines are reduced in the second and third trimesters.
4. Diabetic Retinopathy
Pregnancy can accelerate the progression of diabetic retinopathy due to changes in blood sugar levels and increased blood flow. Hormonal changes during pregnancy can also affect the blood vessels in the eyes, potentially worsening any existing retinopathy. Women with pre-existing diabetes are at a higher risk, especially if their blood sugar levels were not well-controlled before pregnancy.
5. Retinal Detachment
Although it is rare to occur, pregnancy may cause retinal detachment, especially in women with severe nearsightedness. This serious complication requires immediate laser surgery to repair.
Some of the signs and symptoms include:
- Flashes of light
- A sudden increase in floaters
- Curtain-like shadow over the visual field
How to Take Care of Your Eyes During Pregnancy
Like your entire body, your eyes need special care, too, during pregnancy. Although most of these conditions come back to normal after pregnancy, dry eye syndrome, in particular, can get very frustrating.
If your blurry vision is due to dry eyes, then you can explore the following options:
- Use pregnancy-safe eye drops recommended by your eye specialist to keep your eyes moist
- Switch to glasses if you are someone who wears contact lenses regularly. Or wear your lenses for shorter periods of time
- Take breaks from screens and frequently blink your eye
Conclusion
Some of the other ways you can take care of your eyes are routine eye checkups, Vitamin A and Omega-3 fatty acids-rich food, and lots of hydration. Remember, pregnancy is a journey full of surprises, and ocular changes are just one of them. While most of them are temporary in nature, it is best to book your appointment with an eye specialist from Shree Ramkrishna Netralaya, one of the best eye hospitals in Mumbai, to inform about any discomfort you may experience.