Pregnancy affects the body in many ways. Changes in the level of certain hormones are the main cause of these changes. It also brings along many problems such as nausea, backache, muscle cramps, bloating etc. Pregnancy may also affect your eyes in more than one way. Many pregnant women who wear glasses or contact lenses experience change in vision during pregnancy. Blurred vision in pregnant women is common while seeing far off as well as nearer objects.
Many women adjust the powers of their glasses. However it is likely that your vision will return to its pre-pregnancy state after delivery. As such, changing the power of your glasses or lenses is not recommended during pregnancy until and unless the shift in vision is not too much.
Another eye problem in pregnant women is eye dryness. This is experienced by women who contact lenses. Again due to changes in the level of hormones can lead to slight swelling of the eye’s surface. This in turn affects production of tears. With decreased tear production, the eye dryness sets in. Contact lenses have to moist at all times and absorb the tears which are supposed to lubricate your eyes thus leading to eye dryness. Eye dryness has many symptoms such as scratchy red eyes, tearing, and sensation of a presence of foreign particle in the eye. The remedy for eye dryness is using an artificial lubricant.
Again eye infection during pregnancy is quite common for contact lenses users. Infection and irritation usually happen when one uses the lenses for longer hours and especially when wearing the lenses during sleeps. The longer the lenses are used the longer your eyes are exposed to bacteria. The chances of eye infection in contact lenses users are usually there. However, pregnant women should take extra care not to develop these infections. Many antibacterial drugs are unsafe for use during pregnancy. As such, eye infection treatment is harder in women who are pregnant. To avoid eye infection during pregnancy, you are advised to decrease the time of lenses use. Shift to wearing glasses instead.
If a diabetic woman becomes pregnant, she also has chances of developing retina damages. Precautionary measures should be taken to keep the blood sugar level in check.