Appearance or increase of myopia in pregnancy

During pregnancy there are multiple changes in the body of the pregnant woman. It is known that one of those changes is the retention of liquids, but what is not so well known is that this retention can also occur in some of the structures of the eye, causing the curvature of the cornea and the thic

Retention of liquids and myopia of the pregnant woman

This accumulation or retention of fluid in the ocular structures usually occurs between weeks 31 and 41 of pregnancy, and usually disappears two months after delivery. As a consequence, it is not necessary to adapt glasses or change their lenses if you were already mine, since the vision will be restored. Unless poor vision interferes with daily tasks, such as driving, in which case the totality of myopia would be corrected and when the water retention disappeared, it would return to the usual graduation.

There are a few cases in which this increase in myopia can be permanent, which is why ophthalmologists usually recommend postponing refractive eye surgery if the patient plans to become a mother.

In case of pregnant women with myopia magna, that is with severe myopia or high amount, it is advisable to go to periodic ophthalmological examinations to make an assessment of the fundus. Myopia magna is not only the presence of diopters, it is considered an ocular pathology. Causes damage to eye structures, mainly in the retina, such as thinning and fragility of the layers of the retina as a result of excessive elongation (lengthening) of the eye. The retinal detachment occurs when by a blow, a tear or excessive traction, the retina or part of it is separated from its position and may cause partial or total loss of vision.

During labor, intense contractions of the abdominal muscles occur producing changes in pressure, which is transmitted through the blood vessels to the eye. Under normal conditions, a healthy eye does not suffer damage with these pressure increases, however, if the retina is damaged, there is a risk of detachment. If abnormalities in the retina are observed that could lead to detachment, the ophthalmologist can treat them with laser photocoagulation or, if necessary, contraindicate vaginal delivery and recommend to the gynecologist that this be by cesarean section. In these cases, the solution is complex: on the one hand there is the risk of the eye, which is difficult to establish objectively, with the consequences of an unnecessary cesarean on the part of the gynecologist (whose complications can not be established objectively either). The scientific evidence does not provide definitive data in favor or against these decisions.