Visual Acuity and Refractive Changes in Pregnancy

Aim:The purpose of this study was to determine the changes in visual acuity in the different trimesters of pregnancy and in the immediate post-partum period. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective study conducted between January 2022 to December 2022 at PRG Hospital Gingee, Tamilnadu, India. A standardized data collection form was designed to collect information on socio demographic and clinical findings. Visual acuity and refractive error were monitored in the 2nd and 3rdtrimester and in immediate post-partum period (within 6 weeks after delivery). Results: The mean age of antenatal women was 23.9 years and majority of them were house wives.Twenty patients were included in this study. Worsening of vision for distance was more in the 3rd trimester when compared to the 2nd trimester. Increased myopic shift was prominentin the 3rd trimester (40%) compared to the 2nd trimester (35%). The most common refractive error was myopia,which spontaneously resolved in the post-partum period.Conclusion: Pregnancy worsened the visual acuity for distance especially in the 3rd trimester and the most common refractive error was simple myopia,which resolved in the post-partum period.