EYES ON SOON-TO-BE MAMAS
Dr. Bovy and Dr. K are so excited to be welcoming their daughter into the world this month! Time has been flying by as they prep for the littlest member of the Spectacle Team’s big arrival. We know there are several other soon-to-be mama’s out there that might have some questions about what to expect when being pregnant. There are several mommy blogs and articles about every little sign or symptom you may be experiencing in your belly. We’ve read all the comparisons of fruit and veggie sizes that your little one may be closest to at each week as well. However, we wanted to focus on if your annual eye exam will be different this year and all the eye things that could be happening during pregnancy, which often gets overlooked in the grand scheme of all things baby.
Dry Eye Syndrome, or worsening of pre-existing dryness, is typically the most common thing our pregnant patients are noticing. While a lot of people are dry to begin with in our climate and age of technology, unfortunately, that only intensifies with a baby on the way. We know it is easier said than done, but of course, don’t forget about those computer eye breaks during the day. You may be grabbing for those tear drops more and more these days too, mamas! The good news is that artificial tears are totally safe to use as much or as little as you need. We also recommend gel tear drops at night followed by an eye mask to prevent the dryness from worsening overnight. Congestion is common with pregnancy as well, so to help both congestion and your dry eyes, you can also have a humidifier in the room at night too.
The vision changes you may be experiencing could just be the next thing on your list of questions to ask at your eye exam! It can be from a number of different culprits actually. One could simply be the dryness we already talked about fogging up that vision a little. We also know that those pesky hormones can cause fluid build up in your ankles, feet, and actually eyes too. This can alter the eye pressure due to an increased corneal thickness. For this reason, LASIK surgery is a big no-no 6 months before you are pregnant, while pregnant, and within 6 months after breastfeeding stops. Stress and other factors can cause fluid build up below the macula temporarily affecting your vision as well. There are also more severe pregnancy conditions, such as preeclampsia or gestational diabetes, that can cause more serious eye changes, like retinal occlusions, macular edema, and retinal detachments. If you’ve been diagnosed with any pregnancy-specific conditions, just be sure to not only follow your OBGYN’s orders and follow up schedule, but also don’t skip your annual eye exam during this time or if any new eye changes might be happening to you. Now, more than ever, you should be taking the best care of your body, and it does not stop at your eyes. The main difference between a pregnant eye exam and a regular annual eye exam is that you will NOT be dilated… yay! That’s one good thing! The dilation drops are not recommended during pregnancy, but luckily, we can take a photo of the back of your eyes to still make sure everything is nice and healthy. Come prepared for some vision changes, and know that if there is a dramatic shift in your glasses prescription, we may hold off on getting you new glasses until after your little bundle of joy arrives. Be ready to ask any other questions you may have about what may be going on with your eyes though!
Finally, the biggest nuisance Dr. K has noticed that often is not talked about can be an increase in floaters and ocular migraines. If you’ve never experienced an ocular migraine, it can be quite alarming to see a bunch of sparkling lights in your vision or random colors floating on by as you are sitting at work. What you see during an ocular migraine may be different from person to person, but one thing is consistent… it only lasts about 20 mins. After that, your vision returns to normal. Some experience a headache at the time of these vision symptoms, others get a headache in the hours following, and some lucky ladies don’t get a headache at all. If you experience one or multiple ocular migraines during your pregnancy, try not to panic! Stress can induce more of them actually. Feel free to check in with your OBGYN or optometrist to ensure nothing more is occurring, but most likely, it’s just another one of the fun things going on with your body right now.
As all these fun things are occurring with your body and your eyes, soon-to-be mamas, be sure to feel some comfort that just about everything will go back to the way it was after delivery, recovery, and breastfeeding has stopped. We want to remind you that you should not skip your annual eye exam just because you are pregnant. Our doctors are here for you and can answer any questions regarding the weird things your eyes may be experiencing right now. And also remember that we want to see that little one six months after their big debut into the world to check and make sure their eyes are nice and healthy too!
Check out our baby vision milestone blog here as well to see what your new baby will be seeing as they grow during their first several months!
