Your Eyesight Can Change During Pregnancy
Pregnancy could affect and possibly change your eyesight positively or negatively.
You may experience:
- blurry eyes
- improved eyesight
- headaches due to changes with your eyesight
- dizziness due to eyesight changes
- itchy eyes
Why Can Your Eyesight Change During Pregnancy?
Let’s start with changes in your prescription:
- The shape and curvature of your cornea could change, due to water retention, leading to a change in your eyesight – either better or more blurred.
- Due to increased blood volume in your body, your blood pressure may change, in turn affecting the capillaries in your eyes, leading to a change in your eyesight.
It’s probably best not to change the strength of your glasses or contact lenses during pregnancy:
- The changes may only be small
- The changes may not be permanent and your prescription could return to normal again postpartum.
If you are breastfeeding it is best to wait it out until you have finished as the different hormones required for breastfeeding could still be affecting your eyesight.
Dry Eyes During Pregnancy
The increase of estrogen hormone could reduce the oily part of tear production in the glands of your eyes. Oil secretion is a key part to keeping the eyes well moisturised. Even if you can produce tears, your eyes may continue to feel dry and itchy because the oily film is missing.
If you are experiencing more severe changes with your eyes, then consult your doctor as it could be a sign of more serious problems like preeclampsia or diabetes.
Recommendations for Eyesight Problems During Pregnancy
- Wear your glasses more often instead of contact lenses
- Your eyes will be more dry if you wear contact lenses.
- Changes to the curvature of the cornea could make wearing contact lenses uncomfortable because they are not fitting snuggly to your eyes any more.
- Wearing glasses will allow your eyes to relax more.
- Rest your eyes, don’t overstrain them. Take frequent breaks from whatever you are reading or focusing on.
- Wait until postpartum to get your prescription checked again. If you are breastfeeding, wait until you have finished completely (the hormones in your body will need two or three weeks to stabilise again).
Always consult your doctor if you are experiencing extreme eyesight problems or headaches.
