Your body goes through many changes when you are pregnant, from weight gain to hair growth to lack of memory and tons more. You can thank all those wonderful hormones. What you may not know is that your vision also changes during pregnancy. Common vision changes during pregnancy include dry eyes, blurred vision, ocular migraines and in rare cases, excess fluid can even cause the retina to detach. That is why it’s SO important to take care of your eyes during and after pregnancy. Here is our expert advice for mom’s to be and what you can expect during and after pregnancy if you wear glasses or contact lenses.
Contact lens wearers may need to be refit
If you wear contacts when you are pregnant, you may need to get your lenses refit as another pregnancy symptom is corneal changes to your eyes. One option is using daily disposables. Daily disposable lenses can help manage protein build-up that is common when you are expecting.
Glasses might not fit properly due to weight gain
Pregnancy is an uncomfortable time for many moms-to-be because of weight gain. Along with sore and expanding feet, your face shape can also change. It’s best to get your frames adjusted to fit better, so you don’t experience any more discomfort than you need to.
Frames may need an update due to skin changes
Skin tones and colouring may change during pregnancy and what colours and styles worked for you before may not work after the baby has arrived. It’s a good idea to visit your optician after your baby is born to make sure your colouring still works with your current frames.
Babies are a messy business – if you wear contacts you might be at risk
It can be harder to manage a sanitary environment after you have had a baby. Diaper changing and handling contact lenses can put your contact lenses at risk. It is especially important to wash your hands frequently and clean surfaces that may be contaminated if you are going to be wearing contacts. This way, there is no chance of bacteria getting into your contacts and causing an eye infection or worse.
Growing babies can wreak havoc on your frames
Babies love to grab anything in their reach, including your glasses. While frustrating, little ones are merely curious and glasses look like fun things to play with. That said, it may be necessary to visit the optician more often to adjust your frames and also to maintain the integrity of your frames if your little one has gotten a hold of them.
Sunglasses are essential when you are out and about with your baby
One thing that all moms can agree on is that getting out of the house when you are caring for a baby is essential for your mental and physical health. Remember, when you are out, you should be wearing proper sunglasses that protect your eyes from harmful UV rays. Babies should also have sunglasses, a hat, sunshade, and age-appropriate sunscreen.
Once your baby grows up, they may need glasses themselves
It’s hard to think this far ahead if your baby hasn’t arrived yet, but once they have moved through the baby stage, they might need glasses too. If that is the case, it’s good to know that if they entering JK or born in 2015, they eligible for free glasses under the Eye See Eye Learn program.
Feel free to get in touch with us to learn more about this opportunity and of course, if we can help you with any eye care needs during and after pregnancy we would love to help!