Pregnancy changes a lot of things about your body. Your clothes fit differently, your sense of smell may suddenly become superhuman, and foods you normally love might sound terrible.
But your eyesight?
That one can catch people by surprise.
Vision changes during pregnancy are actually fairly common. You may feel like your glasses aren’t working quite as well, your contact lenses suddenly feel uncomfortable, or your vision seems blurrier than it did before.
In many cases, these changes are temporary and improve after you have your baby. But certain changes in vision can also be a warning sign of a pregnancy complication, so it’s important to know what’s normal and what deserves a closer look.
Here’s what you should know about pregnancy and vision, including why your eyesight can change and when you should call your doctor.
How Pregnancy Can Change Your Eyesight
Pregnancy eyesight changes are real, although they can vary quite a bit from person to person.
Your body goes through significant hormonal, metabolic, and circulatory changes during pregnancy. Those changes can affect your eyes just like they affect other parts of your body.
Some people barely notice a difference. Others may experience blurry vision during pregnancy, dry eyes, contact lens discomfort, or changes in their glasses prescription.
The good news is that many of these changes are temporary. Your eyesight will often return closer to its pre-pregnancy baseline after delivery and once your hormones have had time to settle.
Hormonal Changes Can Affect Your Prescription
If your glasses suddenly don’t seem quite right during pregnancy, you’re not necessarily imagining it.
Hormonal changes and fluid retention can slightly change the shape and thickness of the cornea, the clear front surface of your eye. Even a small change can affect the way light focuses inside the eye and temporarily alter your prescription.
You might notice:
- Blurry vision at a distance or up close
- Difficulty focusing
- More frequent changes in clarity throughout the day
- Glasses that don’t seem as sharp as they used to
Because these changes can be temporary, pregnancy usually isn’t the ideal time to make major decisions based on a small prescription shift.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have an eye exam while pregnant. Eye exams are generally safe during pregnancy, and we can still evaluate your vision and eye health. But if your prescription has only changed slightly and you’re functioning comfortably, we may recommend waiting until after pregnancy to make a significant change to your glasses.
Pregnancy Can Cause Dry Eyes
Dry eyes during pregnancy are another common reason your vision may seem worse.
Hormonal changes can affect the amount and quality of your tears. When your tear film isn’t keeping the surface of your eye adequately lubricated, your vision may fluctuate or become blurry.
You may also notice:
- Burning or stinging
- Gritty or sandy eyes
- Redness
- Watery eyes
- Light sensitivity
- Eyes that feel tired by the end of the day
It might seem strange that dry eyes can cause watery eyes, but those two symptoms frequently go together. When the surface of the eye becomes irritated, your eyes may respond by producing extra reflex tears.
Dry eye can also make your vision seem clear one moment and blurry the next, especially after staring at a computer or phone for long periods.
Your Contact Lenses May Feel Different
If you’ve worn contacts comfortably for years and suddenly can’t wait to take them out, pregnancy may be part of the reason.
Changes to the cornea and tear film can affect both how your contact lenses fit and how comfortable they feel. That’s why contact lenses during pregnancy may not feel quite the same as they did before.
Some people find that their contacts:
- Feel dry much earlier in the day
- Become uncomfortable after a few hours
- Don’t provide the same crisp vision
- Feel like they don’t fit quite right
You may need to wear your glasses more frequently, use lubricating eye drops recommended by your eye doctor, or adjust your contact lens routine.
If your contacts become consistently uncomfortable, don’t force yourself to wear them. An eye exam can help us determine whether dry eye, a temporary prescription change, or another issue is causing the problem.
Blood Sugar Changes Can Affect Your Vision
Blood sugar can also affect how clearly you see. When blood sugar levels change, fluid shifts can temporarily affect the lens inside the eye. This can cause blurry or fluctuating vision.
This is particularly important during pregnancy because some people develop gestational diabetes, even if they did not have diabetes before becoming pregnant.
Blurry vision doesn’t automatically mean you have gestational diabetes. There are several much more common reasons for blurry vision during pregnancy. But if you’re experiencing a noticeable or persistent change, it’s worth mentioning to both your eye doctor and your prenatal care provider.
Some Vision Changes During Pregnancy Shouldn’t Be Ignored
Most pregnancy-related vision changes are relatively harmless. However, sudden or significant changes in vision can sometimes be associated with more serious pregnancy complications, including preeclampsia.
Preeclampsia vision changes can occur when high blood pressure and other effects of the condition affect the eyes or visual system.
- Sudden blurry vision
- Flashing lights
- Spots or unusual visual disturbances
- Significant light sensitivity
- Temporary loss of vision or areas of missing vision
These symptoms deserve prompt medical attention, especially when they occur suddenly or alongside symptoms such as a severe headache, swelling, upper abdominal pain, nausea, or shortness of breath.
Don’t assume a sudden change in vision is “just pregnancy.” Contact your prenatal care provider or seek urgent medical care if you’re experiencing concerning symptoms.
Is It Safe to Get an Eye Exam While Pregnant?
You don’t need to skip routine eye care simply because you’re pregnant. In fact, an eye exam can be especially helpful if you’ve noticed new blurry vision, dry eyes, headaches, contact lens discomfort, or other changes.
Just let your optometrist know that you’re pregnant and how far along you are. That allows us to consider pregnancy when evaluating changes in your vision and deciding which tests, medications, or treatments are appropriate.
If you have diabetes, high blood pressure, or another condition that can affect the eyes, keeping up with recommended eye care during pregnancy can be particularly important.
When Will My Vision Go Back to Normal?
For many people, pregnancy-related vision changes improve after delivery. However, it may not happen immediately.
Your body continues going through hormonal and fluid changes postpartum, and breastfeeding can extend some of those hormonal shifts. It may take a little time for your eyes and prescription to stabilize.
If you’re considering new glasses and your current prescription is still working reasonably well, we may recommend waiting until your vision has stabilized before making a significant prescription change.
Of course, you don’t have to spend months struggling to see. If your vision has changed enough to interfere with driving, working, reading, or everyday life, come see us. We can help determine whether updating your prescription now makes sense.
Pregnancy Changes a Lot, Including Your Eyes
Blurry vision during pregnancy can be frustrating, but in many cases, it’s another temporary side effect of the changes happening throughout your body.
The key is paying attention to how your vision is changing. Mild, gradual changes are often temporary. Sudden blurry vision, flashing lights, missing areas of vision, or other significant visual disturbances should be evaluated promptly.
If you’re pregnant and something about your vision just doesn’t seem right, we’d rather have you ask.
At Emerald Point Eye Care, we’re happy to help you figure out what’s changing, make sure your eyes are healthy, and keep you seeing comfortably throughout pregnancy and beyond.
