Should you be worried about your eyesight during pregnancy?

Pregnancy involves a lot of physical and emotional changes. A lot of these changes take place due to the hormonal changes taking place in the body. If you are planning to get pregnant, you should know a little more about these changes. Some of them are very common, like mood swings, back pain, morning sickness, etc.

In addition to all the obvious ones, some changes may come as surprising as they are not as common or discussed frequently. Changes in eyesight during pregnancy is one of them. So now comes the question, can your eyesight change during pregnancy? Well, it has been found that hormonal changes in pregnancy can affect your vision. However, these are usually temporary and get back to normal after the baby is born.

This article will focus on the changes in eyesight during pregnancy to give you a detailed look at the causes and effects of these vision changes.

What are the Vision Changes in Pregnancy and What Cause them?

Hormonal changes lead to eyesight changes in pregnancy. There are a number of eye problems during pregnancy that you might experience.

1. Blurred vision-

Blurred vision is one of the most common changes in eyesight during pregnancy.

There are several reasons that can contribute to blurry eyesight during pregnancy. Some of them are dry eyes, sensitive eyes and reduced field of vision. Dry eyes are caused due to reduced tear production, which is a result of hormonal changes in pregnancy.

These hormonal changes lead to fluid retention in the eyes that affects the curvature of the eyes and thickness of the cornea that makes your eyes sensitive and affects the eyesight during pregnancy.

Eyesight during pregnancy becomes weak in cases where there is a reduction in the field of vision. The reason for this is not exactly known, but most studies suggest that it is a result of hormonal changes during pregnancy.

These changes in eyesight during pregnancy are usually temporary and are resolved once the baby is born.

2. Scratchy or Twitching eyes-

A scratchy or twitching eye is another commonly seen change in eyesight during pregnancy which is also associated with the causes of blurred vision.

When there is excess retention of fluid in the eyes, leading to increased sensitivity, it causes irritation in your eyes. This may also lead to irritation of nerve endings that supply the eyes, causing eye twitching during pregnancy.

3. Infection to the eyes-

Eye infections during pregnancy are more common than one might think.

These infections cause discomfort and irritation to your eyes, affecting your eyesight during pregnancy. Conjunctivitis and puffiness are common infections. The hormonal changes during pregnancy and the augmented blood flow makes pregnant women more prone to such infections. These infections usually go away on their own, but they may temporarily affect your eyesight.

Eye floaters-

Eye floaters are small black spots or rings that form in your field of vision. These develop in the vitreous in the back of your eye. This vitreous is gel-like, and as we age, it becomes more watery, which causes these floaters.

Eye floaters during pregnancy are caused due to the increased water retention in the eyes that is caused due to hormonal changes. These eye floaters lead to discomfort and affect your eyesight during pregnancy.

Note: All the changes in your eyesight during pregnancy are usually temporary and go away on their own. However, it is important that you consult your doctor about them as these changes may also be signs of more severe problems like preeclampsia and gestational diabetes.

Eye Care During Pregnancy

Here’s how you can protect your eyes during pregnancy:

• Always use sunglasses to protect your eyes from UV rays.
• Maintain good hygiene and avoid constantly touching and rubbing your eyes. This can prevent eye infections from getting worse and maintain good eyesight during pregnancy.
• Coldwater splashes and warm compression may help make your eyes feel more comfortable and reduce irritation and discomfort. The use of contact lenses may cause added irritation and discomfort and may worsen the infections. Hence, if you are prone to infections, make sure to have minimal or no use of contact lenses.

It is advised to consult your doctor about any of these problems and only take medications on the doctor’s advice. Take the necessary care and precautions to maintain good eye health during pregnancy.

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Article: Should you be worried about your eyesight during pregnancy?

Author: CFS Editorial Team  |  May 19 2021 | UPDATED 03:00 IST

*The views expressed here are solely those of the author in his private capacity and do not in any way represent the views of Centre for Sight.