Contents:
- Medical Video: Dry Cough During Pregnancy - Everything You Need To Know
- Are the eyes dry during pregnancy is dangerous?
- So, what causes dry eyes during pregnancy?
- 1. Hormonal changes
- 2. Decreased tear production
- 3. Changes in oil glands
- 4. Other causes
Medical Video: Dry Cough During Pregnancy - Everything You Need To Know
Pregnancy does cause the majority of a woman's body to change, including your eyes. Towards the end of the first trimester, you will usually complain of eyes that feel drier. Usually these complaints will continue throughout your pregnancy. Even up to a few months after the birth of the little one. So, what causes dry eyes during pregnancy?
Are the eyes dry during pregnancy is dangerous?
Dry eye conditions during pregnancy are often called dry eye syndrome. Dry eyes during pregnancy are usually caused by changes in the amount or type of tears you produce, so your tears are not moist enough. Here are the symptoms that you might feel.
- Red eye.
- Your eyes feel like sandy and getting worse every day.
- Sticky eyelids when you wake up in the morning.
- The eyes become easily runny when there is a fairly strong wind.
Initially you may feel your eyes dry during the day. However, over time you will realize that dry eyes during pregnancy occur throughout the day and begin to interfere. If you are a contact lens user, maybe you will feel very uncomfortable when using it. Therefore, when you start experiencing symptoms like the following, you should immediately consult a doctor.
- Your red eyes get worse.
- Eyes start to hurt.
- Your eyes are more sensitive to glare.
- Your vision starts to decrease.
This symptom may be caused by damage to the transparent layer that covers the front of your eyes, or the cornea. If not treated immediately, your vision can be permanently damaged.
If your dry eyes start to interfere, immediately come to the eye doctor to make sure that your eyes are healthy. Don't assume this is a trivial thing.
So, what causes dry eyes during pregnancy?
There are several reasons why your eyes dry when you are pregnant. There are reasons that are not dangerous, but you must also be aware. More details, see the explanation below.
1. Hormonal changes
Hormonal changes, especially the decrease in androgen hormones, are one of the causes of dry eyes during pregnancy. These changes continue to occur, even after giving birth and breastfeeding. Therefore, women will still experience symptoms of dry eyes at this time.
In addition to dry eyes, many women are noted to have sore eyes or something feels stuck in it. Dry eyes during pregnancy also cause the pregnant woman's eyes to be more sensitive to dazzling light and sometimes her eyes will feel itchy.
Pregnant women who feel dry eyes should use eye drops that can moisturize the eyes to deal with dry eyes during pregnancy. This product is artificial tears, different from the type of eye drops intended to treat eye irritation.
2. Decreased tear production
According to the Natural Eye Care website, hormonal changes caused by pregnancy usually cause a decrease in tear production by the tear glands. This decreased volume of tears causes the eyes of pregnant women to become drier.
3. Changes in oil glands
Oil glands in women will usually experience changes during pregnancy. This change in glands causes many pregnant women to be more prone to acne. This change can also inhibit the production of lipids and oil glands which are usually useful for moisturizing the eyes.
As a result, decreased lipid production and oil glands change the production of tears needed by the eye. When your eyes blink and you rub your eyes, this will make your eyes drier.
To overcome this, you can compress your eyes using warm water to help trigger the production of lipids and oil glands.
4. Other causes
Pregnancy can affect the function of the tear layer, causing dry eyes. This is influenced by an increase in immune reactions (immune) in lacrimal duct cells (tear glands) and damage to certain cells by the hormone prolactin.
In addition, dryness in the eyes is also affected by dehydration caused by nausea and vomiting during pregnancy and the use of anti-nausea drugs. Therefore, you should consult your eye condition to ensure that your eyes are dry during pregnancy. That way, you know how to deal with it.
