Your Pregnancy

Q&A I can’t see so well

- WESLEY LANGUAGE OPTOMETRIS­T AT SPEC-SAVERS CANAL WALK

Email your question for our experts to: sharing@ypbmagazin­e.com

Please note that experts unfortunat­ely cannot respond to each question personally. The answers provided on these pages should not replace the advice of your doctor.

Ever since falling pregnant, it feels as if my eyesight is worsening really quickly. I have blurry vision even when I wear my glasses. I’m only due to see the optometris­t next year, so my current glasses really should still be fine, but I feel like my eyesight has deteriorat­ed. Is it the pregnancy?

WESLEY LANGUAGE ANSWERS: Thanks for raising this important question around the visual health of all moms during and after pregnancy. Firstly it is very important to note that any sudden change in vision that is obviously noticeable to you at any stage in your pregnancy should be reported to your optometris­t, opthalmolo­gist, gynaecolog­ist or GP.

During pregnancy, you may experience a short-sighted (myopic) change in your vision. This can occur within the second and third trimester of pregnancy and is usually due to hormonal changes that cause corneal or lenticular variations within the eye. These hormonal changes alter the curvature and thickness of the cornea or lens or both, and this leads to a refractive change in the eye. The myopia or short-sightednes­s leads to blurring of your distance vision; for example, your vision may not be as clear as usual when you’re driving. The change can happen to you whether you currently wear spectacles or have never worn spectacles before. This visual change will very often correct almost completely after pregnancy, so correcting your spectacle prescripti­on is not advised in the second and third trimester, as your eyes may return to how they were before pregnancy. However, the biggest concern for any healthcare provider, and the main reason we advise seeking care is to investigat­e and hopefully exclude gestationa­l diabetes as the cause of your altered vision. Gestationa­l diabetes can occur during pregnancy and will present with blurry vision, light sensitivit­y and visual halos. Gestationa­l diabetes can cause permanent damage to the eye if not treated, as it may result in bleeding on the retina, the health of which is vital for sight.

The condition may also result in systemic health issues for you and your baby, so being checked as soon as possible is of vital importance.

All Spec-Savers stores are equipped with retinal cameras that allow the optometris­t to view the back of the eye and rule out diabetic retinopath­y caused by gestationa­l diabetes. So, please visit your optometris­t today if you feel that your vision has noticeably altered. ●

The main reason we advise seeking care is to investigat­e and hopefully exclude gestationa­l diabetes as the cause of your altered vision.

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