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You’ll be having all sorts of pregnancy tests and checks carried out to monitor your health and wellbeing and your baby’s progress, but one thing you might not have thought of scheduling is a visit to the eye doctor.
Many moms to be think they shouldn’t schedule eye exams when they’re pregnant because they fear that it might be unsafe to have pupil-dilating drops put into their eyes. But it’s perfectly safe to have a through eye exam during your pregnancy – in fact, it’s important to do so. This is because pregnancy doesn’t just cause changes to your body – it also can cause changes in vision. And since changes in vision can often signal underlying problems, it’s a good precaution to have your eyes checked out by an ophthalmologist.
Vision changes in pregnancy
These range from your eyes feeling different to actual physical changes that may affect your eyesight if you need corrective lenses or wear contact lenses.
The cornea (the front part of your eye) may swell, causing your contact lenses to feel uncomfortable. It’s caused by an increase of fluid in your body – the same fluid that causes puffy ankles! After you deliver your baby you should be able to go back to wearing your contacts but if you breastfeed your baby you may continue to find them uncomfortable until you stop.
If you wear glasses you may notice slight changes in your vision, and it’s possible you might need a new prescription.
Pregnancy hormones can cause your eyes to feel dry and gritty and your eyelids to become puffy – again, these symptoms may mean that you find contact lenses uncomfortable. It’s safe to use lubricating eye drops to relieve dryness.
Hormones can also result in migraines during pregnancy, and one side effect of these can be an increased sensitivity to light. If you suffer from headaches and migraines in pregnancy, ask your OB-GYN or midwife about safe painkillers – acetaminophen is generally regarded as safe but you should avoid ibuprofen.
Other health conditions and your pregnancy vision
Some pre-existing health conditions make it more likely that you might experience vision changes during your pregnancy so if you have them you need regular eye exams.
Diabetes
If you’re a diabetic you’re at risk of a condition called diabetic retinopathy, which is caused by damage to the tiny blood vessels in your eye. This can accelerate during pregnancy, and if you aren’t a diabetic but you develop gestational diabetes you’re also at risk. Protect yourself by carefully following your doctor’s advice for controlling your blood sugar
High blood pressure
Pregnancy can also cause your blood pressure to rise, and this can damage the blood vessels in your eyes. Watch out for symptoms, which may include blurred vision and spots before your eyes. High blood pressure can be a sign of a serious pregnancy condition called pre-eclampsia.
Glaucoma
This disease is caused by excess pressure within the eye and many pregnant women find that their eye pressure actually decreases once they’re expecting a baby. Medicated eye drops are often used to treat it but these cross the placenta and may not be safe for your unborn baby so it’s very important that you tell your eye doctor that you’re pregnant so that your prescription can be altered if necessary. Keep in mind that if you intend breastfeeding your baby, glaucoma medication can also cross into breast milk.
You’ll be having all sorts of pregnancy tests and checks carried out to monitor your health and wellbeing and your baby’s progress, but one thing you might not have thought of scheduling is a visit to the eye doctor.
Many moms to be think they shouldn’t schedule eye exams when they’re pregnant because they fear that it might be unsafe to have pupil-dilating drops put into their eyes. But it’s perfectly safe to have a through eye exam during your pregnancy – in fact, it’s important to do so. This is because pregnancy doesn’t just cause changes to your body – it also can cause changes in vision. And since changes in vision can often signal underlying problems, it’s a good precaution to have your eyes checked out by an ophthalmologist.
Vision changes in pregnancy
These range from your eyes feeling different to actual physical changes that may affect your eyesight if you need corrective lenses or wear contact lenses.
The cornea (the front part of your eye) may swell, causing your contact lenses to feel uncomfortable. It’s caused by an increase of fluid in your body – the same fluid that causes puffy ankles! After you deliver your baby you should be able to go back to wearing your contacts but if you breastfeed your baby you may continue to find them uncomfortable until you stop.
If you wear glasses you may notice slight changes in your vision, and it’s possible you might need a new prescription.
Pregnancy hormones can cause your eyes to feel dry and gritty and your eyelids to become puffy – again, these symptoms may mean that you find contact lenses uncomfortable. It’s safe to use lubricating eye drops to relieve dryness.
Hormones can also result in migraines during pregnancy, and one side effect of these can be an increased sensitivity to light. If you suffer from headaches and migraines in pregnancy, ask your OB-GYN or midwife about safe painkillers – acetaminophen is generally regarded as safe but you should avoid ibuprofen.
Other health conditions and your pregnancy vision
Some pre-existing health conditions make it more likely that you might experience vision changes during your pregnancy so if you have them you need regular eye exams.
Diabetes
If you’re a diabetic you’re at risk of a condition called diabetic retinopathy, which is caused by damage to the tiny blood vessels in your eye. This can accelerate during pregnancy, and if you aren’t a diabetic but you develop gestational diabetes you’re also at risk. Protect yourself by carefully following your doctor’s advice for controlling your blood sugar
High blood pressure
Pregnancy can also cause your blood pressure to rise, and this can damage the blood vessels in your eyes. Watch out for symptoms, which may include blurred vision and spots before your eyes. High blood pressure can be a sign of a serious pregnancy condition called pre-eclampsia.
Glaucoma
This disease is caused by excess pressure within the eye and many pregnant women find that their eye pressure actually decreases once they’re expecting a baby. Medicated eye drops are often used to treat it but these cross the placenta and may not be safe for your unborn baby so it’s very important that you tell your eye doctor that you’re pregnant so that your prescription can be altered if necessary. Keep in mind that if you intend breastfeeding your baby, glaucoma medication can also cross into breast milk.
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