Search research articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Videos

Refractive changes in pregnancy.

Louis D Pizzarello¹

¹Department of Ophthalmology, Southampton Hospital, Southampton, New York, USA. bythebay@hamptons.com

Graefe'S Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology = Albrecht Von Graefes Archiv Fur Klinische Und Experimentelle Ophthalmologie

|May 9, 2003

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Blindness and eye disease in Cambodia.

Ophthalmic epidemiology·2007

Same author

Ocular changes during pregnancy.

Comprehensive ophthalmology update·2007

Same author

Rapid assessment of trachoma in Hainan Province, China: validation of the new World Health Organization methodology.

Ophthalmic epidemiology·2002

See all related articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Pregnancy can cause a temporary worsening of myopia, or nearsightedness. This study found that pregnant women experiencing vision changes showed a significant myopic shift, which resolved after delivery.

Area of Science:

Ophthalmology
Obstetrics
Reproductive Health

Background:

Vision changes during pregnancy are reported but often not well understood.
Myopic shifts can impact visual acuity and quality of life.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the causes of vision changes experienced by pregnant women.
To determine the relationship between pregnancy and refractive error alterations.

Main Methods:

A prospective study involving 240 pregnant women in an obstetrical practice.
12 women reporting vision changes were compared to asymptomatic controls.
Ophthalmic examinations including refraction were performed, with follow-up post-delivery.

Main Results:

Related Experiment Videos

All women with reported vision changes exhibited a myopic shift during pregnancy.

Average myopic shift was approximately 0.87-0.98 diopters in each eye.

Myopia levels returned to near pre-pregnancy states postpartum.

Conclusions:

Pregnancy is linked to a worsening of myopia.
The exact mechanisms driving this pregnancy-induced myopic shift require further research.