{"id":17927,"date":"2021-10-14T09:18:29","date_gmt":"2021-10-14T09:18:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/?page_id=17927"},"modified":"2022-02-06T15:44:42","modified_gmt":"2022-02-06T15:44:42","slug":"vision-changes-in-pregnancy","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-health\/eyes-the-windows-to-your-health\/vision-changes-in-pregnancy\/","title":{"rendered":"Vision Changes in Pregnancy"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><b>Hormone levels change during pregnancy, which may cause changes in eyesight and eye health.<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>During pregnancy, a woman\u2019s body undergoes many changes, but few women are aware of how pregnancy affects their vision.<\/p>\n<p>While most of the visual symptoms expectant moms experience are minor, some symptoms may be a sign of a serious medical condition.<\/p>\n<p>Here are six <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-health\/can-pregnancy-affect-vision\/\">vision problems to be aware of while pregnant<\/a>:<\/p>\n<h2><b>1. Refractive changes<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><b>Changes in hormone levels during pregnancy can affect the shape of your eyes, necessitating a new prescription for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/childrens-vision\/guide-to-pediatric-eye-conditions\/what-is-myopia\/\">nearsightedness<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/childrens-vision\/guide-to-pediatric-eye-conditions\/what-is-long-sightedness\/\">farsightedness<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/childrens-vision\/guide-to-pediatric-eye-conditions\/what-is-astigmatism\/\">astigmatism<\/a><\/b>.<\/p>\n<p>Though this is normally not a cause for concern, it&#8217;s a good idea to consult an eye doctor about any changes in your vision so that you can determine whether or not to modify your prescription.<\/p>\n<p>The doctor may just advise you to wait a few weeks after delivery before altering your prescription.<\/p>\n<h2><b>2. Puffy eyelids<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Another typical side effect of some hormonal changes that women experience while pregnant is puffiness around the eyes.<\/p>\n<p>For a few women, side (peripheral) vision may be obstructed by puffy eyelids.<\/p>\n<p>As a general guideline, drink plenty of water and eat a balanced diet that&#8217;s low in sodium and caffeine.<\/p>\n<h2><b>3. Dry eyes<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy might cause natural tear production to decrease, leading to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-conditions\/dry-eye\/\">dry eye syndrome<\/a> in some women.<\/p>\n<p><b>Many pregnant women experience chronic stinging, gritty, scratchy, and uncomfortable feelings in the eyes.<\/b><\/p>\n<p>These symptoms usually go away after birth, but in rare instances\u00a0 they might be permanent and need to be managed with a prescription or other treatment. If left untreated, dry eye can result in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-conditions\/guide-to-corneal-diseases\/corneal-dystrophies\/\">corneal tissue damage and scarring<\/a>, which can impair vision.<\/p>\n<p><strong>SEE RELATED:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-health\/can-pregnancy-affect-vision\/pregnancy-complications-when-to-see-an-eye-doctor\/\">Pregnancy Complications: When to See an Eye Doctor\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n<p><b>If you&#8217;re suffering from dry eye, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/practice-search\/\">contact an eye doctor near you<\/a> who can prescribe artificial tears, gels, and ointments to help give you relief.<\/b><\/p>\n\n\t<div class=\"practice-search-widget\">\n\t\t<h3>Find an eye doctor near you<\/h3>\n\t\t\n\t<form class=\"practice-search-form practice-search-form-widget\" action=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/practice-search\/results\/\" method=\"get\">\n\n\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"distance\" value=\"100\" class=\"practice-search-distance\">\n\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"page\" class=\"practice-search-page\">\n\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"address_latitude\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"address_longitude\">\n\n\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"address\" class=\"practice-search-address\" placeholder=\"City, Surburb or Address\" value=\"\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"distance\" value=\"100\" class=\"practice-search-distance\">\n\n\t\t\n\n\t\t<button type=\"submit\" class=\"practice-search-button\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 19 19\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M10.6796 0.130005C9.15708 0.130059 7.66615 0.5646 6.38198 1.38258C5.09781 2.20057 4.07373 3.36803 3.43004 4.74783C2.78634 6.12763 2.54976 7.66246 2.74808 9.17205C2.9464 10.6816 3.57139 12.1033 4.54964 13.27L0.729639 17.08C0.6364 17.1732 0.562439 17.2839 0.511979 17.4058C0.461519 17.5276 0.435547 17.6581 0.435547 17.79C0.435547 17.9219 0.461519 18.0524 0.511979 18.1743C0.562439 18.2961 0.6364 18.4068 0.729639 18.5C0.917942 18.6883 1.17334 18.7941 1.43964 18.7941C1.5715 18.7941 1.70207 18.7681 1.82389 18.7177C1.94571 18.6672 2.0564 18.5932 2.14964 18.5L5.99964 14.62C7.35406 15.6038 8.98566 16.1324 10.6596 16.13C12.7814 16.13 14.8162 15.2871 16.3165 13.7869C17.8168 12.2866 18.6596 10.2517 18.6596 8.13C18.6596 6.00827 17.8168 3.97344 16.3165 2.47315C14.8162 0.97286 12.7814 0.130005 10.6596 0.130005H10.6796ZM10.6796 14.13C9.49295 14.13 8.33291 13.7781 7.34622 13.1188C6.35952 12.4595 5.59049 11.5225 5.13636 10.4261C4.68224 9.32975 4.56342 8.12335 4.79493 6.95946C5.02644 5.79558 5.59788 4.72648 6.437 3.88736C7.27611 3.04825 8.34521 2.4768 9.5091 2.24529C10.673 2.01378 11.8794 2.1326 12.9757 2.58673C14.0721 3.04085 15.0092 3.80989 15.6685 4.79658C16.3277 5.78328 16.6796 6.94332 16.6796 8.13C16.6796 9.7213 16.0475 11.2474 14.9223 12.3726C13.7971 13.4979 12.2709 14.13 10.6796 14.13Z\" fill=\"#fff\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t<button type=\"button\" class=\"practice-search-use-my-location\">\n\t\t\tSearch near me\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\n\t<\/form>\n\n\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n<h2><b>4. Blurred vision<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><b>Many pregnant women experience water retention, which can affect the thickness and shape of your cornea. <\/b><\/p>\n<p>This, in turn, can distort your vision. The cornea usually returns to its regular thickness after giving\u00a0 birth or when you stop breastfeeding.<\/p>\n<h2><b>5. Preeclampsia<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Preeclampsia is a potentially life-threatening condition that causes high blood pressure, protein in the urine, swelling in the legs, feet, and hands in pregnant women.<\/p>\n<p><b>Changes in vision can be a sign of this serious condition, which affects at least 5-8% of pregnant women.\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Among the signs and symptoms are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Temporary eyesight loss<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Sensitivity to light<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Blurry vision<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Auras, flashing lights, or spots<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If you experience any of these symptoms, <strong>contact your doctor or go to the emergency room right away.<\/strong> Preeclampsia can advance quickly, resulting in hemorrhage and other dangerous complications for the mother and child.<\/p>\n<h2><b>6. Gestational diabetes<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Diabetes-related high blood sugar levels can harm the tiny blood vessels that supply your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-health\/how-does-the-eye-work\/eye-anatomy-the-back-of-the-eye\/\">retina<\/a>, resulting in vision loss.<\/p>\n<p><b>As your pregnancy advances, your odds of developing gestational diabetes increase.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Hormones released during pregnancy may alter your body in unexpected ways. Some changes, such as morning sickness and weight gain, are expected, but others, such as blurry vision or diabetes, can be completely unexpected and concerning.<\/p>\n<p><strong>LEARN MORE:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-health\/\">Guide to Eye Health<\/a><\/p>\n<p><b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/practice-search\/\">Consult with an eye doctor near you<\/a> who can tell you whether the changes in your vision are harmless or indicative of a more serious problem.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><i>While most of the visual symptoms expectant moms experience are minor, some changes to your vision may be a sign of a serious medical condition<\/i>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hormone levels change during pregnancy, which may cause changes in eyesight and eye health. During pregnancy, a woman\u2019s body undergoes many changes, but few women<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1206,"featured_media":20591,"parent":9992,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"template-article.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17927","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Vision Changes in Pregnancy - Optometrists.org<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-health\/eyes-the-windows-to-your-health\/vision-changes-in-pregnancy\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Vision Changes in Pregnancy - Optometrists.org\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Hormone levels change during pregnancy, which may cause changes in eyesight and eye health. During pregnancy, a woman\u2019s body undergoes many changes, but few women\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-health\/eyes-the-windows-to-your-health\/vision-changes-in-pregnancy\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Optometrists.org\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2022-02-06T15:44:42+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/preg2.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1117\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"450\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-health\/eyes-the-windows-to-your-health\/vision-changes-in-pregnancy\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-health\/eyes-the-windows-to-your-health\/vision-changes-in-pregnancy\/\",\"name\":\"Vision Changes in Pregnancy - Optometrists.org\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-health\/eyes-the-windows-to-your-health\/vision-changes-in-pregnancy\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-health\/eyes-the-windows-to-your-health\/vision-changes-in-pregnancy\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/preg2.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-10-14T09:18:29+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2022-02-06T15:44:42+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-health\/eyes-the-windows-to-your-health\/vision-changes-in-pregnancy\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-health\/eyes-the-windows-to-your-health\/vision-changes-in-pregnancy\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-health\/eyes-the-windows-to-your-health\/vision-changes-in-pregnancy\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/preg2.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/preg2.png\",\"width\":1117,\"height\":450},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-health\/eyes-the-windows-to-your-health\/vision-changes-in-pregnancy\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Primary Eye Care\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Guide to Eye Health\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-health\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":4,\"name\":\"Eye Health\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-health\/eyes-the-windows-to-your-health\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":5,\"name\":\"Vision Changes in Pregnancy\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/\",\"name\":\"Optometrists.org\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Vision Changes in Pregnancy - Optometrists.org","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-health\/eyes-the-windows-to-your-health\/vision-changes-in-pregnancy\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Vision Changes in Pregnancy - Optometrists.org","og_description":"Hormone levels change during pregnancy, which may cause changes in eyesight and eye health. During pregnancy, a woman\u2019s body undergoes many changes, but few women","og_url":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-health\/eyes-the-windows-to-your-health\/vision-changes-in-pregnancy\/","og_site_name":"Optometrists.org","article_modified_time":"2022-02-06T15:44:42+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1117,"height":450,"url":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/preg2.png","type":"image\/png"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-health\/eyes-the-windows-to-your-health\/vision-changes-in-pregnancy\/","url":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-health\/eyes-the-windows-to-your-health\/vision-changes-in-pregnancy\/","name":"Vision Changes in Pregnancy - Optometrists.org","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-health\/eyes-the-windows-to-your-health\/vision-changes-in-pregnancy\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-health\/eyes-the-windows-to-your-health\/vision-changes-in-pregnancy\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/preg2.png","datePublished":"2021-10-14T09:18:29+00:00","dateModified":"2022-02-06T15:44:42+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-health\/eyes-the-windows-to-your-health\/vision-changes-in-pregnancy\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-health\/eyes-the-windows-to-your-health\/vision-changes-in-pregnancy\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-health\/eyes-the-windows-to-your-health\/vision-changes-in-pregnancy\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/preg2.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/preg2.png","width":1117,"height":450},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-health\/eyes-the-windows-to-your-health\/vision-changes-in-pregnancy\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Primary Eye Care","item":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Guide to Eye Health","item":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-health\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Eye Health","item":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-health\/eyes-the-windows-to-your-health\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":5,"name":"Vision Changes in Pregnancy"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/","name":"Optometrists.org","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/17927","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1206"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17927"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/17927\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20566,"href":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/17927\/revisions\/20566"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9992"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20591"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17927"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17927"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17927"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}