Do not forget to care for your own eyes during pregnancy

Since the very moment of finding out the pregnancy news, expectant mothers are absorbed in their happiness, and they pay attention to the slightest changes of their babies at every single moment. But please do not forget to care for your own eyes during this time.
In the course of the entire pregnancy, to ensure the healthy development of the fetus, every system and organ – endocrine system, circulation system,respiratory system and digestive system, and immune system – in the body of the expectant mother will experience great changes. Such changes also affect the important eye organ in various ways, and can even cause eye diseases. What eye diseases tend to occur during pregnancy?

1、Dry eye
Under normal circumstances, a layer of lacrimal film covers the surface of eye ball to moisten and protect the eye. During pregnancy, dry eye may occurdue to changed hormone levels in the body and decreased lacrimal secretion.

2、Corneal edema
During pregnancy, there also tends to be a slight corneal edema due toincreased progestational hormone secretion, electrolyte imbalance, andincreased corneal moisture. The edema may become more severe in the laterstages of pregnancy. The corneal edema can recover 6-8 weeks after delivery.Therefore, the expectant mother is recommended to wear glasses instead of contactlens.

3、Refractive error
The refractive error will change due to the corneal edema of the expectant mother, which becomes more obvious in late pregnancy. During pregnancy, the diopter refraction test changes by 0.25-1.25 diopters. This value will recover 6-8 weeks after delivery. If there is a change of degree for the expectant mother, she should get the right lens within two months after delivery.

4、Eye lesion caused by pregnancy-inducedhypertension
Pregnancy-induced hypertension mainly occurs in late pregnancy, which can endanger the life of the expectant mother and fetus. The expectant mother could develop hypertension, edema, and proteinuria. Eye lid and conjunctiva edema,twisted blood vessels, retinal arteriolar spasm and stenosis, retinal edema,bleeding and exudation, and even retinal detachment may occur. Retinal bleeding, edema, exudation and detachment suggests lesion of the heart, brain,kidneys, etc.

5、Diabetic eye diseases
Diabetes in pregnancy falls into two categories: one is diabetes confirmedbefore pregnancy, and the other is the diabetes occurring or confirmed during pregnancy with normal glycometabolism or potential decreased sugar tolerance before pregnancy. Eye diseases caused by diabetes include: Retinal diseases,cataract, neovascular glaucoma, xerophthalmia, refractive error, and neuropathy.

6、Relapse of original eye diseases
If there are eye diseases such as scleritis, uveitis, retinal periphlebitis and neuropapillitis before pregnancy, the pregnancy may lead to the relapse of such eye diseases.

To prevent the occurrence of eye disease in pregnancy, the expectant mother should pay attention to the changes of the visual acuity of both eyes. If there is obvious eye strain, blurred vision,dark shadows drifting before eyes or relapse of original eye disease or sudden exacerbation, the expectant mother should go to the ophthalmology department of the hospital immediately, so as not to delay the treatment.