Did You Know Your Vision Can Change During Pregnancy?

Congratulations to any expectant mothers out there! Many women who are pregnant or are looking to become pregnant have done their research on changes that will happen when they are expecting, there are such as nausea, appetite changes, and absentmindedness, but did you also know pregnancy can also change your vision?

Common Vision Changes

Blurry vision! You may notice gradual or fluctuating vision changes, a common side effect of fluid retention due to pregnancy. Fortunately this is a temporary side effect and subsides after delivery or when you stop breastfeeding.

Dry eyes! This one affects everyone but sadly can also be an irritating side effect of pregnancy due to your hormones fluctuating but luckily it has an easy fix. If you feel like you have dry eyes, artificial tears are the best solution to get your eyes moist and comfortable again. Please do not use any of the “get the red out” drops such as Visine or Clear eyes, these will not work to moisturize your eyes.

We would recommend all women who are diabetic to have a full comprehensive eye exam before getting pregnant or have an eye exam as soon as possible after becoming pregnant as well as during every trimester of their pregnancy. Women who develop gestational diabetes should also see their eye care professional as advised and monitor any vision changes they may see such as severe blurriness, double vision, floaters and partial loss of vision.

Please note that some of the vision changes may sound intimidating but also have simple remedies and if monitored properly should not lead to any serious eye damage. Our very own Dr. Hines is expecting as well and the View Optometry team could not be happier! If you are pregnant or have any questions related to possible vision changes during pregnancy or any other times please give us a call and we will happily answer any your questions.