STUDY OF OCULAR CHANGES IN PREGNANCY

Abstract

Introduction: In pregnancy, women undergo a tremendous number of systemic and ocular changes. Physiological changes occur in the cardiovascular, hormonal, metabolic, hematologic and immunologic systems. Hormonal changes are among the most prominent systemic changes in pregnant women with the placenta, maternal endocrine glands and the fetal adrenal glands combining their productivity to make a high-powered hormone factory.

Aims: To evaluate the various ocular changes taking place in pregnancy in women with no other co-morbid ocular or systemic diseases and to compare ocular changes in three trimesters of pregnancy with controls of non pregnant women.

Materials and Methods: The ocular changes occuring in varying stages of pregnancy in 225 pregnant women were studied and compared with 75 healthy non pregnant women.

Results: Age was similar in the pregnant and non pregnant women studied. Headache was significantly more common among pregnant women when compared to non pregnant women. Diplopia was not significantly different between pregnant and non pregnant women. Intraocular pressure was significantly less among the pregnant women as compared to non pregnant women. Occurrence of conjunctival pigmentation was significantly more in pregnant women when compared to non pregnant women. There was no difference in corneal thickness when pregnant and non pregnant women were compared. Krukenberg’s spindles were seen more commonly among pregnant women when compared to non pregnant women.

Conclusion: Various ocular changes occur during a normal pregnancy. Knowledge of these changes can help to differentiate the physiological changes occurring in a normal pregnancy from ocular manifestation of systemic diseases.