NOTICE: Eye Vision Changes During Pregnancy

Pregnancy is a time when the female body goes through a lot of changes. These changes are often temporary and will return to normal after baby is born. The changes in the eyes / vision during pregnancy can be attributed to corneal edema, retinal changes, central serous choroidopathy, glaucoma and pituitary adenoma.

Corneal Edema - During the third trimester of pregnancy, the cornea may swell and become thicker than before pregnancy. This is a change that will reverse after baby is born but can cause some irritation with contact lenses during pregnancy. This eye / vision change during pregnancy requires the mom to leave the contact lenses behind from late in the third trimester until after baby is born. 

Pituitary Adenoma - Any occurrence of tunnel vision during pregnancy could be the result of a benign tumor referred to as pituitary adenoma. The pituitary gland is responsible for many hormone levels in the body. During pregnancy, these hormones are secreted in higher levels that before and after pregnancy. When the hormone levels rise, the tumor can grow.
Retinal Changes - Changes in the retina can occur in women who have diabetes before pregnancy and gestational diabetes. The retinal changes can result in vision being blurred and difficulty focusing. The doctor will carefully monitor the blood glucose levels if blurred vision occurs during pregnancy. 

Central Serous Choroidopathy - This condition is characterized by a fluid leak under the retina. This leak could have something to do with fluid retention in the body during pregnancy. While the condition will most often reverse after pregnancy, an eye care physician will need to keep track of the progress of the condition. Symptoms of central serous choroidopathy include blurred vision in the affected eye and the eye reading objects smaller than they truly are.
Glaucoma - If mom has glaucoma before becoming pregnant, pregnancy can reduce the effects of the glaucoma for a small period of time. Glaucoma is characterized by pressure building up behind the eye. During pregnancy, this pressure may decrease temporarily. Eye / vision changes during pregnancy may also be the result of high blood pressure and preeclampsia. High blood pressure can cause the vision to distort and appear blurred. There may also be spots that appear in front of the eyes. Preeclampsia, another pregnancy induced condition, can result in a detached retina. Preeclampsia can result in death for both baby and mom, so any symptoms related to the onset of preeclampsia will be noted by the obstetrician during the third trimester when the condition most often presents.

Mom can expect her vision to change throughout the pregnancy from hormonal changes and fluid changes in the body. These changes are common and normal, but all changes to vision need to be reported to the obstetrician as they could be symptoms of something greater. Nearly every eye / vision change during pregnancy will be 100% relieved as soon as baby is born and mom's body returns to its normal state. Conditions such as pituitary adenoma and detached retina may require further treatment after baby is born.