Preggo Problems: Vision Changes

Among the millions thousands hundreds many side effects of pregnancy, there is one that caught me pretty off-guard.  Have you ever heard of pre-natal vision changes and/or eyeball swelling? No?Well, trust me, it’s a thing.

Preggo Eyeballs //

Who would have thought that your eyes can be affected by pregnancy?? Not this preggo lady, that’s for sure. However, come the 6-month mark of my twin pregnancy, I was feeling the strain, big time.

It started with my eyes getting tired and blurry much more quickly than usual. I should say that I currently wear glasses only for working on the computer; nothing for distance or driving etc. So my eyes are already working too hard and need a little help. Since being pregnant, the levels of fatigue and tiredness I feel have rocketed exponentially. Considering I work in digital advertising and video, and spend 14 hours a day on a screen, this is NOT a good thing.

At first, I shrugged it off to added stress at work and with the babies, but then I noticed that I started to get headaches, and was experiencing some “floaters” in my eyes.

Time to talk to the doctor.

And the Doctor Says… //

Thinking I would sound like a pregnant hypochondriac, I nervously told my OB what I was experiencing.  He surprised me by saying it was totally normal.

If you are otherwise healthy, and major conditions are ruled out (preeclampsia being one of them), he told me vision changes during pregnancy are common,  temporary (will go away after birth), and can be caused by that factors such as:

• Hormones
• Blood Circulation
• Water Retention
• Certain Medications

I did a little internetting after my appointment (so far I’ve managed to stay off Web MD!) and found corroborating info. According to the Canadian Association of Optometrists, “Many pregnant women retain fluids. This common side effect can change the thickness and shape of your cornea. That can lead to distorted vision. These changes usually go away after delivery or after you stop breastfeeding.”

This was great news to hear but didn’t do much for me and the symptoms I was having that interfered with my day-to-day stuff.  So, I called my optometrist to get a quote for an eye exam and a prescription change in my glasses.

Y0u Want Me to Pay How Much? //

Well, the optometrist’s quote came in at over $700. SEVEN HUNDRED DOLLARS. Not exactly something I can afford for a new pair of glasses I would only need for 3-6 months.  Insert the research into other options.

Luckily, I found Ollie Quinn.  This lovely brand portrays a new way of thinking about eyewear. Every pair in the shop is $155 CDN for a basic prescription. They pride themselves on fair pricing, in-house design, and being generally awesome to deal with. I booked an eye exam and off I went.

New Specs for Kels //

First off, the boutique is beauuutiful. I went to the Toronto flagship store on Ossington Ave, and the design is just so clean and lovely. The location also doubles as a co-working space which was being renovated the day I visited so I didn’t have a chance to utilize it, but maybe next time.

My eye exam confirmed that my prescription had in fact changed slightly; just enough to warrant the new glasses.

There were so many funky frames to choose from, I had a tough time but managed to narrow down to two choices:  cherry blossom Rachel and confetti Jelka.

Jelka//

Rachel //

I ended up going with the Rachel frames as they matched my hair perfectly. Don’t judge, that is a thing. However, with the price of the Jelka’s, I might just go back and get the second pair in the spring after the babies are born. Or, I can get the lens in the Rachel’s changed. I mean, I could do both options for less than half of what it would have cost for ONE pair at my regular optometrists.

The staff were so lovely and made the entire experience very straightforward and stress-free. That is huge, especially when pregnant — as if we need another thing to stress out about.

Have you experienced minor vision changes during pregnancy? Were you able to find an affordable fix?  Let me know in the comments!

Just a reminder that I am not a doctor, and am not here to dispense medical information to you, as credible as I sound 😉 If you are pregnant and experiencing vision changes, always consult your medical professional as it could be a sign of something more serious.

*Disclosure: I was provided with a complimentary eye exam and a pair of glasses in exchange for this post. My opinions and eye problems are 100% my own, always.*