My EYES!

Hi, just to give you some encouragement....I am legally blind in one eye (20/400). I have no idea what its like to have 2 eyes....you would be amazed at how the body adjusts to issues like this. I have no problems doing anything that anyone else with two good eyes can do. The only thing I can't do is see in 3-D...but who cares?

It's true that pregnancy can fool with your eyesight, but it's not a definite thing that will absolutely happen during each pregnancy. Also, it doesn't necessarily mean that your eyes will get way worse during your next one. Don't worry, Mama!

I have Graves eye disease. I have had 4 surgeries to my eyes. One was decompression and the other 3 were to the muscles to try to correct double vision I started having about 4 years ago.
They never did get the double vision corrected and they said any more work on the muscles will only make things worse. I have been told to try patches many times but I just can't seem to stand them.
I have one more surgery to go and that is to my eye lids because my eyes are overly exposed.
When it all first started, I couldn't see well enough to drive or even go for a walk and I thought they were going to fix it but they can't.
It really bums me out sometimes. I think people who care about me sometimes forget that I even have this problem because I stopped mentioning it. It does really get me down sometimes thinking that I am going to live with this pain and double vision for the rest of my life. :(
I just wanted you to know that I can relate and I understand. Hopefully it will get better for both of us. *hugs*

I know how you feel, for I have vision issues as well (patch and all when younger!), and have had glasses since I was 2 years old.

First, huge hugz! I know this is difficult. Second, I agree that pregnancy can change your eyesight, but I do agree that there is more factors involved..(such as age)

As for having another one, and making your eyesight much worse, this I would get another opinion on. I know mine did slightly change after kids, but pregnancy does not normally change your eyesight that much, and if it does--it normally will improve or improve enough to be a slight difference.

To address the concern about pregnancy and your eyes, I would make sure to arrange an eye appointment at the end of each trimester to catch anything early enough to do something about it. That would be my opinion of staying on the safe side of things.

Again--huge hugz--I do understand where you are coming from!!!

just a thought, can they do lasik to get you to better eyesight, not even expecting it to get perfect. I am not sure they do that, but maybe they could you to -6 in one eye, and maybe -3 in the other??? It's not perfect, but it would be an improvement. Then if it got worse with pregnancy, you would just be back where you are now???
I am sorry for what you are going through. I am sure it is very difficult; more difficult than I could ever begin to imagine, but keep your thoughts positive - remember, GOD loves you! And the rest of us mamas do too!

Hi,

I wouldn't obsess too much with what the prescription is, but what you correct down to. I have high myopia too (-10 and -11), but I get down to 20/20 in both eyes. The upside of being nearsighted is that you probably won't need bifocals at 39-40 when all your friends do.

You may not necessarily have a change in vision with another kid. Don't let that stop you from additional kids. My advice would be to see someone else for a second opinion on LASIK after you are finished with having kids and breastfeeding (so hormones fluctuations won't be a factor). Rand Eye Institute is excellent. They have a wonderful reputation in the eye care community. There are different types of refractive surgeries. So while you might not be a candidate for one, there may be another you can do. That's why I recommend a second opinion at a place with lots of experience with this.

In the meantime, take good care of your eyes to keep them healthy. As a long time contact lens wearer, reevaluate your contact lens habits. You want to be sure you are replacing them on schedule; do not overwear them. Do not sleep in them. Take them out 1-2 hours before bed and put on your glasses so you are getting plenty of oxygen to your corneas. If you overwear your contacts, you put yourself at risk of eye infections (which can cause scarring) and corneal neovascularization. The cornea doesn't have blood vessels in it normally. But if it's starved for oxygen, it will grow blood vessels to help out. You probably have this to some extent; most long time contact lens wearers do. But if becomes severe, it might limit your options.

Mostly, I want to tell you not to give up hope! Enjoy your kids and take care of your eyes. It'll be ok.

Don't be sad. . . Your body has just gone through the most intense time it's ever been through in the last 9 + 8 months. Your hormones are settling down, but they are not completely settled yet, and when they do, you may very well have better eyesight than you do right now!

No, I'm not an opthal., but I have been having eye surgeries for cataracts this past year (three eye surgeries). Between the surgeries, my brain compensated for the lack of vision in one eye (while the other eye healed) and gave me what was actually better vision than I should have had! I discovered that rest and really good nutrition helped a lot to get my eyes to settle in to the vision my new lenses are supposed to give me.

Make an appointment for another eye check 6 months from now. In the meantime, find ways to get a little more rest, and eat better (no matter how good you eat now). And in case no one has told you, every day your son gets a little older, your job as mom is going to get easier. Honest!

I didn't read the other responses. But my eyes worsened during my first pregnancy for sure (I noticed it even with my contacts in). I'm at the end of my 2nd pregnancy and haven't noticed any big difference (due for an eye exam next month although it'll be delayed due to delivery next week). So, they may have changed again, but I haven't noticed it like I did the first time. We'll just have to wait and see though. But you are not the only one, so try not to be too upset ;)

There is no way to concretely predict if or how bad your eyes will get, per pregnancy.

However, just in my case: I had perfect vision before I had kids. With my 1st pregnancy my eyesight changed. I then needed reading glasses. I could see far. After my 2nd pregnancy, my eyes got worse. I then needed glasses to see near and far. Currently, my reading vision also gets a tad worse, each year. Partly age, partly it was from my pregnancies.
My vision, will never get back to perfect.

Eyesight... is valuable.
Even with Lasik surgery for some people, it does not always bode well. Many people I know, have to have it redone... as they get older, the eyes changes... its shape etc. It is not, permanent improvement.

all the best,
Susan

Well you can wallow in this sadness for as long as you feel it is appropriate and once that is over with start bedazzeling some cool eye patches if needed so you can look like a rock star mommy everyday! Honestly, I have no real idea about what it is you are going thru but one thing I am always good for is "glass is half full" attitude! If you want another baby but are afraid of the risks investigate surrogacy or adoption or even becoming a foster parent. Like I said be sad for as long as you feel it is needed then get out there and start doing something productive towards the situation you will feel better.

Are you breastfeeding? Breastfeeding can affect your eyesight negatively (I had lots of problems with my eyes with both of my kids). Once you stop, your hormones readjust and sometimes your sight will return to what it previously was.

Immediately call Dr. Pauline Buck, Miami Beach. She is a developmental and behavioral optometrist who can give you exercises and reflex integration to help change your situation. She has helped a child that I work with and we have seen HUGE differences in her school and academic perfomance. I am pretty sure she sees adults as well. Also read a book called Fixing My Gaze.

The way I understand it, your eyesight changes during pregnancy, because of all the extra fluid in your body. So you shouldn't get any kind of eye surgery during pregnancy, because your vision will change when you are no longer pregnant. But it shouldn't be a permanent or progressive change. Just like how your feet can get wider during pregnancy. Some women's feet stay the larger size, and some shrink back down. But your feet wouldn't get larger & larger during each pregnancy. Your eyes may have just gotten a little worse due to natural aging, but I really doubt the pregnancy is entirely to blame. I'd get a 2nd opinion.