Blog Post

Can pregnancy affect my eyes? 

  • By Monica Coelho
  • 10 Jan, 2023

What to expect when you're expecting

     Pregnancy can be a wonderful experience for a woman, but it's still a taboo to talk about all the side affects that come with it. The nausea and sickness, the lower back pain, sore ankles and heavy legs are not all that you might experience during this period... your eyesight will probably change too. Like most of the hormonal and physical changes, these issues related to vision are usually minor and temporary, and your vision should return to normal after your baby is born or after the baby has stopped breastfeeding.  The most common eye changes during pregnancy are:

     Pigmentary Changes
     - Often the skin of a pregnant woman may experience pigmentary changes that can also affect the eyelids - temporary increase in pigmentation or increasing in existing pigmentation (Conjunctival Naevus). Though this affects almost 90% of pregnant women, it is reversible and generally only requires observation during this period.

     Blurred Vision
     - Some pregnant women notice mild changes in their vision and often think this might be associated with a change in prescription. This happens as during pregnancy many women retain fluids, which often affects the fluid present in your eyes, affecting the shape and thickness of your cornea, therefore leading to visual distortion. Not to worry, make sure your optometrist monitors these changes and your vision should be back to normal after delivering or once your baby stops breastfeeding. 

     Dry Eyes
     - Hormonal changes can affect the quality and structure of the tear film, leading to dry eye syndrome. This occurs because the lubricant tears present in the upper and lower eyelid margins have less oil to keep the eyes moist. The usual symptoms for dry eye include excessing tearing, intermittent blurred vision and a gritty or burning sensation, which can be treated with artificial tears and soothing warm compresses. Your Optician would be able to advise the best drops according to your symptoms. 

Pre-eclampsia
     - One of the things you really need to look out for during pregnancy is  your blood pressure. An increase in your blood pressure can lead to pre-eclampsia which requires treatment. The symptoms to look out for in this case are blurred vision, temporary loss of vision, light sensitivity and presence of auras, flashes and/or floaters in your vision. In case you experience any of these symptoms you need to seek advice from your GP or Optometrist promptly.

Diabetes
     - When you have diabetes, high levels of sugar in your blood can cause some damaging in the small vessels present in your eyes(Diabetic Retinopathy)and the chances of that happening grow as the pregnancy progresses. It is important to monitor closely the diabetes throughout your pregnancy to make sure that it doesn't affect other areas, such as your eyes. Pregnant women who never had diabetes before can experience Gestational Diabetes during the pregnancy. It is important even for these patients to keep a close look for any changes in their vision and to report them to their Optometrist.


     If you are expecting and experiencing any of the symptoms above, make sure to book an appointment with your Optometrist. At Care Optics we are open as normal and taking new patients, so if you need your eyes tested or know someone who does, make sure to phone or email us and we will be more than happy to arrange that appointment for you. 

     Keep in mind: At Care Optics - Eye Care, We Care
     

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     Also known as "Surfer's Eye", Pterygium is an elevated, wedged-shaped growth from the lining of the eyelid onto the cornea. Although is benign, the growth itself can permanently disfigure the eye, reduce significantly the eyesight or even cause blindness. It became known as "Surfer's eye" because it is usually a consequence of being exposed to bright sun for long hours, specially by the water or snow - which reflects the UV rays to your eyes. 

Causes
     As written above, UV exposure seems to be one of the main reasons for Pterygium development, but wind and dust can also cause it as this leads to Dry Eye Disease, which by consequence will lead to this condition. Genetics may also play an important part, as some people seem to be more at risk than others.

Signs & Symptoms
     Pterygium usually appears on the side of your eye that is closest to the nose, but it can also appear on the other sometimes. It is common to have it in one eye only, although sometimes it may appear on both eyes.
     There are people who don't experience any symptoms or require treatment in the beginning, but as the growth develops, there can be redness,  gritty, itchy or burning sensation, the eyes can become irritated and even swollen.
      When the Pterygium starts to invade the cornea, it distorts the shape of the front of the eye, causing  the curve of the cornea to change, leading then to refractive errors (Astigmatism in most cases).

Treatment
    The treatment depends on the size of the Pterygium itself. If it's just a small growth, your Optometrist/Ophthalmologist can advise the patient on lubricants (eye drops or gels) to temporary reduce symptoms like redness, swelling, itchy or gritty felling.  
      If the Pterygium is more advanced, the only option is then surgery.

How to avoid it
     As previously said, UV radiation and exposure seems to be one of the main reason leading to Pterygium. For that you have the perfect solution that is available for everyone - sunglasses . A good pair of sunglasses will filter the UV rays, giving you a sharper vision but also protecting you from conditions like Pterygium, Cataracts, Glaucoma, etc. Make sure to buy your sunglasses from a Optician instead of a shop non-related to eye care. A good pair of sunglasses should have UVA, UVB and UVC protection, and usually those shops will only have one of those protections - or even none.

     We remind you that if you have any of these symptoms or any other, if you need to book an appointment or if you have any queries, please contact us over phone or email. We will be very happy to help you.

Keep in mind: At Care Optics - Eye Care, We Care 




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What is Conjunctivitis?
Conjunctivitis is a common condition which causes the surface of your eye to go red and, often, sticky or watery and your eye becomes sore.

Types of Conjunctivitis:

Conjunctivitis can be caused by infection from bacteria, viruses or other organisms, and also by allergy or inflammation.


Viral conjunctivitis tends to cause a watery red eye and can last for two to three weeks even with the correct treatment. In most cases viral conjunctivitis does not affect your vision but rarely you might notice your vision becomes blurry or you may see glare when looking at lights. This is due to an inflammatory reaction causing small white dots on the cornea, the transparent window at the front of the eye. These usually fade with time, but it can take a few weeks or even months.  


Bacterial conjunctivitis is more likely to cause a red eye with a sticky yellow discharge.

I think I may have Conjunctivitis. What should I do?

There is no antiviral medication for viral conjunctivitis and it does not respond to antibiotic drops as it is not caused by bacteria. The best treatment for viral conjunctivitis is to use artificial tears and simple painkillers, with regular lid cleaning and cold compresses. The conjunctivitis disappears when your body becomes immune to the virus and fights the germs off, just as in a cold or flu. Very rarely, steroid drops are given for severe cases of viral conjunctivitis or when the cornea is affected.


Antibiotic drops can be helpful in cases of bacterial conjunctivitis and are often prescribed for a one or two-week course.  


Contact lenses should not be worn during any type of conjunctivitis.

Infection control:
Conjunctivitis is contagious and spreads very easily by water droplets (coughing, sneezing) or contact with tissues, flannels, towels, pillowcases and so on. For that reason, it’s really important to wash your hands frequently and dispose of tissues after use to prevent the condition from spreading to other family members or work colleagues.

In addition to proper hand hygiene, it's also important to avoid sharing personal items such as towels, pillowcases, and eye drops. If you have conjunctivitis, it's best to stay at home until the symptoms have subsided to avoid spreading the infection to others. Avoiding close contact with others, and avoiding touching or rubbing your eyes are also important to prevent the spread of infection. For people who wear contact lenses, it's essential to discard the lenses and switch to glasses until the infection is gone. After the infection is cleared, it's important to properly clean and disinfect the contact lenses and lens cases before reusing them.

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