Why the body experiences major changes during pregnancy might not exactly be hard to understand. But how it changes may come as a surprise. Swelling of the feet, increase in BMI (body mass index) and spikes in hormone levels are quite common and immediately noticeable. However, even your eyes can experience major changes, causing an alteration in vision. This can cause problems for the frequent contact lens wearer.

As the body becomes the carrier and host of another life, occurrences such as irregularities in blood and body fluid pressure are not uncommon. Because of these pressure fluctuations, your eyes can swell too. It will not actually be visible, as the swelling is so minute, but it can lead to blurred vision.

Even if no change in vision is apparent, the change in the shape of the cornea can cause substantial discomfort to contact lens wearers as the lens will not fit properly to the newly altered surface of the cornea. With any kind of discomfort or blurred vision, a scheduled appointment with the local eye doctor is advised.

After pregnancy, as the blood pressure stabilizes, the shape of the cornea is most likely to return to its original shape. However, there is still a chance that it does not. In this case there is no cause for concern.

It is not uncommon for pregnant women wearing corrective eyewear to visit an eye doctor for a new pair of contact lenses.

If you do not wish to continue wearing contact lenses, a new pair of eye glasses is a good and relatively cheap solution, especially if your vision returns to normal after pregnancy.

Either way, the first thing you need to do is have your vision determined by an optometrists. He or she will examine your eyes and simply determine the new optical power you require.

 

Sources:

www.lensshopper.com Chris O. Imafidon. (1992). Contact Lenses in Pregnancy. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, 99, 865­-868 Park SB et al. (1992). The Effect of Pregnancy on Corneal Curvature, The CLAO Journal, Oct; 18(4), 256-259 http://www.parents.com/pregnancy/my-body/aches-pains/pregnancy-blurred-vision/