Eye Safety Tips For Future Moms
Congratulations – you’re expecting a little bundle of joy! Get ready to open your home to a lot more love, chaos, and all the adventures that come with growing your beautiful family.
As an expectant mom, you know you need to take great care of yourself, both for your health as well as the health of your future baby. But did you know you should also pay careful attention to your eye health during your pregnancy?
As it turns out, hormonal changes during a woman’s pregnancy can have an impact on her vision and eye health. Increased blood volume and blood pressure, water retention, and skyrocketing hormones can affect vision, leading to occasional blurriness, dry eye, and even changes in the shape of the cornea. In fact, some women find that they’re more nearsighted than before they became pregnant.
Pregnant women need to watch out for symptoms of more serious eye conditions, which include the following:
- Prolonged blurry vision
- Double vision
- Flashes of light
- Sensitivity to light
- Temporary vision loss
If you experience any of the above symptoms during your pregnancy, it’s important to schedule an appointment with your ophthalmologist right away.
Just experiencing the normal symptoms associated with becoming a mom? Check out these quick trips tips for finding the relief you need:
- Check with your ophthalmologist before using over-the-counter products to treat dry eye, as he or she may have safer options for you to use. If you wear contacts, switch to glasses to avoid exacerbating your dry eye.
- Battle water retention around your eyes by using a cooling eye mask or a cool, wet washcloth. Place the material over your eyes, sit back, and relax as the cooling effect reduces swelling.
- If you have diabetes, make sure you go for an extra eye exam. Having diabetes increases the odds of developing diabetic retinopathy, which is worsened during pregnancy.
If you’re an expectant mom and you’re concerned about your eye health, schedule an appointment with Dr. Jacqueline Griffiths at NewView Eye Center in Reston, Virginia, serving the greater Washington, DC area. Dr. Griffiths can provide you with relief for your pregnancy-related symptoms, as well as diagnose and treat any underlying eye conditions.