The effect of pregnancy on corneal curvature

Even though they had been successful contact lens wearers previously, many women develop contact lens intolerance while pregnant. We prospectively followed 24 women during pregnancy, postpartum, and after cessation of breastfeeding. Six women (25%) developed contact lens intolerance during the study period. There were no changes observed in refraction, corneal sensitivity, corneal thickness, or intraocular pressure. However, there was a statistically significant (P < 0.05) increase in corneal curvature during the second and third trimester which resolved postpartum or after the cessation of breastfeeding. We discuss the clinical importance of this finding.