Changes in the skin, in taste, in smell ... We thought the eyes would be free? Well no, since hormones in pregnancy have an impact on vision. If you are pregnant, you may have noticed that your eyes are itchy frequently, you have them swollen or even that you have lost some vision.
This is due to the hormonal changes of pregnant women: they are responsible for increased dryness of the eyes, change of graduation, blurred vision and swelling of the eyelids. And while these symptoms fall within expectations, we cannot let them pass without paying attention to them.
The College of Opticians and Optometrists of Castilla y León has started a campaign on "Vision and pregnancy", in which they remind us how the vision of the future mother can be affected. And although most of the ocular modifications are temporary or just another discomfort during pregnancy, more worrying variations can also occur during this stage.
We talk about the changes in the usual intraocular pressure, the decrease in tear production, alterations in ocular structures, such as the lens and cornea, and variations in the graduation of sight.
Vision problems in pregnancy
Eye dryness: The quality and quantity of the tear can vary substantially. How does the pregnant woman notice this? With a foreign body sensation, burning, itching or even excessive tearing. A professional can advise the use of a few drops to relieve these symptoms, but it must always be a safe product during pregnancy, so you can not put the drops you consider.
These eye dryness problems are more evident in women who wear contact lenses. For them, it is best to alternate the contact lenses (using the appropriate artificial tears) with the glasses or simply, if the woman feels very uncomfortable with contact lenses, leave them during these months. These precautions would avoid the danger of causing an edema due to inflammation of the cornea, very common in pregnancy. Although this disorder is not serious, it can be uncomfortable and interfere with vision.
Another of the most frequent eye effects during pregnancy is the increase or change in graduation and the experimentation of blurred vision, which can occur due to various causes, such as fluid retention (which could cause corneal edema). In most cases the change in habitual graduation is transitory and remits after delivery:
Especially after week 32 it can occur an increase in myopia.
Pregnant hypermetropics tend to experience difficulty reading.
Transient accommodation insufficiency syndrome makes distant vision difficult (this symptom can be prolonged until the end of breastfeeding).
Sometimes blurred vision in pregnant women It can also be a manifestation of a disease such as preeclampsia (high blood pressure during pregnancy) or gestational diabetes (a form of pregnancy-induced diabetes) that does require specific monitoring and treatment.
Retinopathy. If the pregnant woman already had diabetes, extreme caution should be exercised and regular checks performed, as up to 30% of previous diabetics develop retinopathy during pregnancy (a disease of the small vessels of the retina, which is the layer that covers the back of the eye and perceiving the light). Taking care of sugar levels is essential for the baby and the mother.
Finally, and we are doing very well now in the face of good weather, optometrists recommend the use of ample sunglasses to protect the skin and eyes.
Definitely, if you are pregnant do not neglect your visual health, especially if you wear contact lenses or are at risk of high blood pressure or gestational diabetes. If you notice any of the symptoms mentioned, it is advisable to go to the eye doctor to rule out any complications or systemic disease.
