Should an eye exam be part of your prenatal care schedule?
A lot of people don’t realize this, but along with all the other changes it brings, pregnancy can also affect your eyesight. The tendency of a pregnant woman’s body to retain water and increase blood circulation can cause small – but noticeable – changes in the shape of her eye.
Since the eyes are so delicate, even tiny physical changes can end up causing new vision problems or eye health issues.
Common Eye Health Issues During Pregnancy
1. Myopia
Many women who are pregnant tend to become a bit more myopic (nearsighted) during their term, due to swelling of the eyeball.
Usually the changes don’t require new prescriptions, but occasionally significant vision issues come up. If this happens, just remember that it’s normal, and at worst you have to wear slightly stronger glasses during your pregnancy.
2. Contact Lenses
Another side-effect of pregnancy on vision is it can make contact lenses hard to use. That same swelling of the eyeballs can either
A – Reduce the effectiveness of your lenses, or
B – Make the lenses painful to wear.
In most cases, the answer here is simply to go back to wearing glasses during your pregnancy. You’ll have fewer issues. However, going to the doctor for an eye exam and a new lens prescription isn’t entirely out of the question, if you have a need for them.
3. Discuss Your Glaucoma Medications
An important warning here: Most glaucoma medications may have adverse effects during pregnancy and lactation. If you are treating glaucoma while pregnant, it’s vital to discuss this with your OB or optometrist to ensure no harm is done to your child.
On the positive side, glaucoma tends to lessen during pregnancy, so you may not need the medications anyway.
Serious Vision Issues Need Immediate Attention
Finally, you should see an expert immediately if you experience any of the following during pregnancy:
- Double or blurry vision
- Bright spots or lights
- High sensitivity to light (photophobia)
- Vision loss
These are all early-warning symptoms of preeclampsia, a dangerous -but treatable- condition that develops in about 5% of pregnant women. If you experience any of these for more than a few minutes during pregnancy, please contact your OB immediately.
Need a prenatal or postnatal eye exam? Contact your Phoenix Optometrist today for an appointment!
