Pregnant women have to deal with a lot of things with the change of their bodies. They have to worry about having morning sickness to back pain....and everything in between. Attach vision problems to that long list of things to 'look out for'. Hormones (boy, I know how bad it is in the receiving end!), the changes in the metabolism, fluid retention and blood circulation are all the changes that affect the eyes during pregnancy. These changes can affect the thickness of the cornea by increasing slightly even though the changes are very small. This change can affect how you wear your glasses or contacts on a daily basis.
My daughter had an eye doctor appointment last week. The doctor explained to us that during pregnancy, these changes can affect your prescription. He told us on how more pregnant women report that they feel a bit more nearsighted now than they were before they became pregnant. Although this wasn't a very good time to get a new prescription, the rule of thumb is that these changes are going to be temporary and typically reverse themselves within a month to several month after the delivery. After being asked, he advised that getting laser surgery while pregnant isn't a very good idea; rather, they do not allow it with most insurance companies.There are many different irritants that can happen to a pregnant woman during this time of her life. It
also can happen during breastfeeding. The eyes can become drier along with other subtle changes in the shape and thickness of the cornea. For better or for worse, this can also bring about other changes during pregnancy. If one has diabetes, one should get screened for damage within the blood vessels in the retina. As this might worsen during pregnancy, there is a name for it. It is called Diabetic Retinopathy. Frequent eye exams before and during each pregnancy would be a real good idea to keep tabs on the damage, (if it were to occur).
Some women that have to deal with Glaucoma usually find that their eyesight improves during pregnancy which is a real good thing. Keep in mind that the medication needs to be adjusted as soon as possible. Lessening the baby's exposure to the medications is a good thing for Glaucoma patients who would like to plan a pregnancy.
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