Printable View
Has anyone else ever experienced problems with their eyesight during pregnancy? The longer this pregnancy has progressed the worse my eyesight has gotten. I am now squinting to read things i could read just fine months ago. I have slight astigmatism in left eye that the optometrist said years ago i didn't need glasses for and so am wondering if my new found blindness has anything to do with bubs or hormones?
Anyone got any views or should I start looking for frames which suit my face?
Mine got worse when preg, but actually improved after bubs was born (from test taken before I was preg)
I have notice recently that my eyesight is getting pretty bad. I can't read the time on the DVD player anymore:shakehead:. I was going to wait until after bubs arrives and then get them tested. I hope it is pregnancy related as I don't really want to have to wear glasses. I have never had any issues with my eyes before so crossing my fingers.
Good luck!!!
I remember being told when pregnant that your eyesight can change and if you wear contacts (as I used to) that you shouldn't wear them during pregnancy. I think the reason was something to do with increased blood flow/volume effecting your eyes, sorry I can't remember the exact reason.
My eyesight deteriorated slightly during my last pg, and was quite a bit worse afterwards. I think it has just started to get a bit worse this time too, but not so much that I need to change my script. I hope it doesn't go downhill after the birth, like last time!!!!
There's a little gland in your brain called the pituitary gland that makes hormones. It sits right next to where both the optic nerves cross over each other. So, when you're pregnant, the pituitary swells a bit as it's making hormones for you and for bub and for breastmilk. This can press on the optic chiasm (where the nerves cross over) and cause a few visual problems. Don't worry, after birth you don't need to make anywhere near as many hormones so the pituitary goes back to almost-normal (you're still making prolactin to make milk) and your vision miraculously recovers.
This doesn't always happen, but it does sometimes and can be very worrying; it should recover but if you are worried - now or later - do go see your GP for reassurance.
Totally normal and quite common.
Optometrists are very reluctant to prescribe lenses for pregnant women for this reason - the change is usually temporary and you would almost definitely need a different prescription (if any) once the baby is born. So unless you really are incapacitated it would be a huge waste of money.
I had my eyes lasered a few years ago and when I got pregnant for the first time I actually had to dig out my old glasses in order to see properly while I was driving. Once DS was born my vision went back to normal.
Interestingly this never happened when I was pregnant with DD or this time around either. Only with DS.
Something else to consider is that during pregnancy (especially during later pregnancy) the fluid levels in your body continue to increase because of increased hormone production - this includes the tissues around your eyes. This can affect the sensitivity of your cornea and thus affect the refraction of your eyes, changing where light focusses on your retina, which directly affects your ability to see clearly. The sensitivity of your cornea is why it is advised that you don't wear contacts during pregnancy - your contacts can cause irritation and your eye often rejecting the contact lens. This is one of the most common causes for issues with eyesight during pregnancy.
Hormone production can also change the pressure within the eye itself (lowering it), changing the shape of your eyeball which would also change the focal length of your eyesight (meaning that light again focusses differently to normal on your retina).
HTH :)
I was also told that the hormones that relax ligaments in the pelvis and the rest of the body also affect those that control the flattening/bulging of the lens of they eye, so it is less effective at focussing - so I guess there are a multitude of reasons why your eyesight sucks! I believe it's supposed to come right about 6 weeks post birth, so hang in there. (Having said that mine are not back to normal yet, think I need to see an optometrist after all!!)