Other diseases

Pressure during pregnancy

Why do my eyes and head hurt during pregnancy?

Symptoms of eye pain and headaches during pregnancy may occur during different dates, have like physiological reasons appearance and pathological. There are some specific features when headaches and eyes hurt during pregnancy, as well as a number of provoking factors that differ from the usual symptoms.

Causes of headaches and eye pain during pregnancy

The head and eyes may hurt during pregnancy for the following reasons:

Hormonal changes , starting with early stages, create conditions for the development of a state of discomfort in the eyes. A decrease in estrogen in the body can cause darkening, itching and redness of the eyes, which subsequently leads to pain. Visual acuity may also decrease, the indicators of which return to their usual state after childbirth.
Water retention in the body- provokes deformation of the cornea and, as a result, causes pain.
Computer fatigue syndrome- Associated with eye strain. Trying to get more rest, pregnant women lose sight of the fact harmful effects prolonged concentration on the screen, which ultimately leads to spasm of the eye muscles and pain.
Wrong choice of glasses or incorrect use of lenses also leads to eye muscle strain and the appearance of corneal curvature. Then eye strain transforms into a headache.
Promotion arterial pressure- today it is common occurrence in pregnant women, which causes a dull, arching pain in the eyes.
(cutting pain in the eyes, lacrimation is inherent) - the most common seasonal form of the disease in pregnant women.
Headache caused by changes weather conditions or overwork- may provoke short-term painful attacks In eyes.
Migraine- in most cases accompanied eye pain on the same side where the headache hurts.

Read more about eye and head pain on one side.

Hormonal changes in a pregnant woman's body often cause physical ailments and fatigue.

What symptoms cannot be eliminated?

You will have to put up with some reasons and wait, just doing periodic local relief of symptoms.

Fact! In case of hormonal changes and impaired water metabolism, the 3rd trimester and childbirth restore the woman’s usual well-being.

There are a number of conditions that require immediate attention medical intervention, because they may indicate serious violations. Symptoms requiring urgent medical consultation:

duration pain symptoms within a few days;
eye or head injury;
sharp and strong pain, difficult to stop;
double vision, nausea, vomiting, loss of consciousness;
sudden deterioration of vision.

Eye and headache pain cannot be tolerated and can be saved by self-medication. You need to apply for medical consultation to the maximum short time, and it is better to undergo regular examinations in antenatal clinic, from a therapist, neurologist and ophthalmologist.

Make an appointment with an ophthalmologist at .

Treatment and prevention of eye and headache pain during pregnancy

The main treatment is to reduce eye strain, which usually provokes headaches during pregnancy. The exception is migraine conditions that require separate therapy, which is selected by the doctor before conception or at the earliest stages.

Tips to reduce the frequency and intensity of eye and headache pain:

It is recommended to change contact lenses on points to reduce physical impact on the cornea.

Important! It is NOT necessary to change lenses and glasses to others in accordance with changes in vision.

Wear your usual glasses or contacts even if your visual acuity changes

If there are vision problems, it is prescribed mandatory examination which the patient undergoes when the 2nd trimester begins. This is necessary to prevent retinal detachment, which is the most common indication for caesarean section.
If ophthalmological disorders are detected, a pregnant woman is recommended to undergo laser vision correction. It is optimal to undergo this procedure before conception, although it is absolutely harmless for the child and can be prescribed in the absence of contraindications.
It is necessary to reduce the time spent at the computer, as well as activities that require prolonged eye strain.
Increase the number of walks in the fresh air.
Do a set of eye exercises. It is especially good to do it during breaks between working at the computer or when you feel tension in your eyes.
Do massage and self-massage of the eye area and neck-shoulder area to improve blood flow and relieve tension.

Massage techniques that help relieve headaches are shown in the video below:

Reducing the amount of stress and a gentle regime are the main preventive aspects in the fight against headaches.

Eye pressure during pregnancy is quite rare. This is mainly caused by glaucoma, inflammatory processes in the membranes of the eye, and surges in blood pressure. This pathology does not pose a big threat to babies. For pregnant women themselves, this can significantly reduce vision. To prevent a pathological condition, you must adhere to proper nutrition, avoid stress, reduce TV watching time by 2 times. It is recommended to walk more in the fresh air.

Causes and symptoms

A healthy eye should have a pressure of 10-24 mmHg. Art. Any deviations are considered pathological. When increased eye pressure is noted during pregnancy, you should not worry about the child, since this will not affect his health in any way. But in order for the period of bearing the baby to pass without deviations, it is necessary to carefully monitor blood pressure and follow the doctor’s recommendations. Main reasons eye pressure are:

conjunctivitis;
migraine, severe headaches;
hormonal imbalances caused by pregnancy;
blood pressure surges;
chronic sinusitis;
kidney diseases.

When intraocular pressure rises, a pregnant woman experiences the following sensations:

severe visual impairment, sometimes short-term blindness;
discomfort on the eyelids;
feeling of pain and fatigue in the eyeballs;
copious discharge clear liquid from the eyes;
dizziness, attacks of nausea and vomiting;
insomnia, tinnitus;
migraine, pain in the upper part of the head.

When pathological condition you should undergo a set of diagnostics to exclude the occurrence of dangerous pathology.

Why is it dangerous?

A child can inherit such a pathology from his mother.

This pathology does not in any way affect the period of gestation and breastfeeding, and is not inherited by the child. Some medications that help lower intraocular pressure are dangerous. If a woman has such a symptom before pregnancy, then this period should be carefully planned with a gynecologist and ophthalmologist. If IOP occurs suddenly, you need to choose the right medications, try not to be nervous and protect yourself from stress.

Glaucoma is an eye disease in which there is permanent or periodic increase intraocular pressure (IOP). An acute attack of glaucoma, not stopped in time, can cause total loss vision.

Causes

Glaucoma develops at any age, and pregnant women are not immune to the occurrence of this disease. For the development of a disease, a whole complex of reasons is necessary, which gradually accumulate and at a certain point lead to the formation of a dangerous pathology. The exact mechanisms of glaucoma development have not yet been studied.

Factors that provoke the occurrence of glaucoma:

outflow disturbance intraocular fluid from the eyeball;
increased IOP;
impaired blood circulation in the tissues of the eyeball;
blood supply disturbance optic nerve;
compression of the optic nerve or its complete atrophy.

As a result of the development of glaucoma, some of the fibers of the optic nerve atrophy, and some are in a state of a kind of suspended animation. This gives patients suffering from glaucoma a chance to partially restore their vision after an attack.

Symptoms

There are two main forms of glaucoma:

Open angle glaucoma

The disease is inherited. The likelihood of developing pathology increases in women suffering from myopia, diabetes mellitus, hypertension And cervical osteochondrosis. These diseases impair blood supply to the brain and thereby disrupt the outflow of fluid from the eyeball.

Open-angle glaucoma usually affects both eyes. The disease develops gradually, without severe symptoms. Periodic blurred vision and pain in the area brow ridges noted by no more than 15% of women. Decreased vision is observed in late stages diseases with significant damage to the optic nerve.

Angle-closure glaucoma

The disease occurs with periodic attacks of increased IOP. An acute attack of angle-closure glaucoma is accompanied by the following symptoms:

sharp pain in the eye;
blurred vision;
the appearance of bright circles when looking at a light source.

During an attack of glaucoma, the pupil dilates and does not respond to light. At the height of the attack, a significant decrease in vision is possible. If help is not provided on time, complete blindness develops.

Diagnostics

During pregnancy, all women are recommended to undergo examination by an ophthalmologist. During the examination, the doctor not only determines visual acuity, but also measures intraocular pressure special device. An increase in IOP indicates the development of glaucoma and requires mandatory additional examination.

Other methods are also used to diagnose glaucoma:

ophthalmoscopy (examination of the retina and optic nerve through a dilated pupil);
perimetry (determination of visual fields);
gonioscopy (examination of the angle between the cornea and the iris).

Course of glaucoma during pregnancy

While expecting a baby, most women have intraocular pressure naturally decreases. This contributes to a significant reduction in glaucoma attacks, as well as the ability to stop using certain medicines. After the birth of the child, IOP returns to its original state. In 20% of expectant mothers, the disease progresses despite medical and surgical treatment.

Glaucoma itself is not dangerous for the fetus. The disease presents a certain discomfort only for women. During an attack of glaucoma, a short-term increase in uterine tone is possible due to pronounced pain syndrome. There is a certain risk associated with the use of drugs that lower IOP, especially in early pregnancy.

Glaucoma treatment

Glaucoma – chronic illness, and it is almost impossible to get rid of it completely. All existing treatment is aimed only at reducing the frequency of attacks and preventing optic nerve atrophy. Ultimately, glaucoma leads to significant vision loss and complete blindness.

Drug therapy

Drugs used to treat glaucoma:

beta blockers;
alpha-2 adrenergic agonists;
prostaglandins;
carbonic anhydrase inhibitors.

A woman suffering from glaucoma should visit an ophthalmologist as early as possible in her pregnancy. Many medications used to treat this pathology are prohibited for use in expectant mothers. After the examination, the doctor will adjust the treatment regimen or suggest replacing the drugs with relatively safe analogues.

In the first trimester, beta blockers and carbonic anhydrase inhibitors are prescribed with caution. These medicines have a teratogenic effect and can lead to the formation of fetal developmental abnormalities. If possible, the expectant mother should avoid using products from this group until 12 weeks of pregnancy.

The drug brimonidine from the group of alpha adrenergic agonists is considered relatively safe. The medicine is available in the form eye drops. This is what is usually prescribed to pregnant women suffering from glaucoma.

In the second and third trimesters, drugs from the group of beta blockers are added. Fetal heart rate should be monitored regularly when using these medications. Regular use Beta blockers lead to the development of bradycardia (decrease in heart rate) and arrhythmia (irregular heart rhythm).

At the end of pregnancy you should be very careful with prostaglandins. Drugs from this group can provoke the launch premature birth. The use of prostaglandins is possible only under strict indications and under constant medical supervision.

At acute attack glaucoma must be urgently called " ambulance" Treatment is carried out in a specialized ophthalmology department.

Surgery

Surgery for glaucoma is possible in the second and third trimesters. In this case, the effect of anesthetics on the fetus should be taken into account. On later Prolonged supine position during surgery can lead to compression of the inferior vena cava and fetal hypoxia. Laser correction glaucoma is carried out at any stage of pregnancy.

All women planning pregnancy with glaucoma should visit an ophthalmologist before conceiving a child. It is recommended to undergo a full examination by a specialist. After the examination, the doctor will be able to change the treatment regimen and select drugs that are safe for the child. Surgical treatment Glaucoma is also best carried out before pregnancy.

Glaucoma in any form can be an indication for cesarean section. The final decision is made after full examination patients on special ophthalmological equipment.

Blood pressure during pregnancy is important symptom, which characterizes the course of pregnancy. This indicator may vary throughout pregnancy, and this is due to hormonal changes in the body of a pregnant woman. Normal pressure in pregnant women it is in the range of 90/60-120/80 mmHg.

Blood pressure in early pregnancy

In early pregnancy, blood pressure often decreases due to changes hormonal levels. Often the first signs of pregnancy can be: general weakness, loss of consciousness, dizziness, nausea, ringing in the ears, increased drowsiness etc. These complaints are typical in the morning. Therefore, low blood pressure during pregnancy may be its first sign. Manifestations of toxicosis such as nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite can help lower blood pressure during pregnancy.

Blood pressure in the last month of pregnancy

In the second half of pregnancy, pressure may increase as the volume of circulating blood increases and a third circle of blood circulation appears. A change in pressure during pregnancy in the later stages in the direction of its increase indicates the onset of preeclampsia, which disrupts the course of pregnancy and childbirth. With the development of preeclampsia, an increase in blood pressure is usually combined with edema and the appearance of protein in the urine. A terrible complication of preeclampsia is eclampsia, which is essentially a manifestation of cerebral edema and occurs with loss of consciousness and development seizures. Therefore, in late pregnancy, daily monitoring of blood pressure and pulse is especially important, as well as monitoring proteinuria (protein in the urine) every two weeks. Allowable pressure during pregnancy, starting from week 20, it should not be lower than 100/60 mmHg. and not higher than 140/90 mmHg.

How does blood pressure affect pregnancy?

Both a decrease and an increase in blood pressure have a negative effect on the body expectant mother and the course of pregnancy. Thus, a decrease in pressure leads to deterioration of blood circulation in the placenta and insufficient income oxygen to the fetus, leading to hypoxia and intrauterine growth retardation.

Increased blood pressure in the second and third trimester of pregnancy above 140/90 mmHg. is a reason for hospitalization specialized hospital. Increased arterial pressure disrupts placental blood flow due to placental edema. Thus, the fetus suffers from a lack of oxygen and nutrients. A rise in pressure above the level of 170/110 mmHg. threatens development acute disorder cerebral circulation. Alarming symptoms The growing clinical picture of preeclampsia is difficulty in nasal breathing, flickering of spots before the eyes, headache and impaired level of consciousness.

Pressure surges during pregnancy can be a symptom of increased intracranial pressure. Increased intracranial pressure during pregnancy it is caused by increased production of cerebrospinal fluid in the blood plexuses of the lateral ventricles. Most likely, the woman suffered from intracranial hypertension, and during pregnancy this pathology worsened. In this case, you need to contact see a neurologist and check intraocular pressure.

During pregnancy, a woman's hormonal levels change greatly, which is responsible for many changes that occur in the structures of the eye.

Under the influence of hormones, the uveoscleral outflow of fluid increases, and together with it, the pressure in the episcleral veins decreases. These changes are accompanied decrease in IOP. The greatest degree of severity of changes in the structures of the eye is observed in the second and third trimester of pregnancy, and, accordingly, the level of ophthalmotonus decreases.

Normal eye pressure during pregnancy

The magnitude of intraocular pressure depends on the formation, circulation and outflow of intraocular fluid, as well as on the pressure in the episcleral veins. To assess ophthalmotonus, the following indicators are distinguished:

statistical norm of IOP;
individual IOP level;
target IOP.

The statistical norm depends on the method for determining tone and is approximately 10-24 mm Hg. Art.

Individual level of pressure or tolerant is pressure that does not exert negative action approximately. For example, 20 mmHg. Art. when determining pressure according to Maklakov, it is considered the norm, but for specific person it can be elevated and lead to the development of glaucomatous changes in the structures of the eye.

Target IOP is the pressure that must be achieved during treatment so that there is no progression of glaucomatous changes and deterioration of visual functions.

Iphthalmotonus may also differ in the morning and evening, the difference can reach 3 mmHg. Art.

Important! To identify eye diseases accompanied by an increase or decrease in IOP, one cannot rely only on tonometry indicators. It is necessary to carry out a full range of examinations to detect pathological changes associated with the action of intraocular pressure.

Measuring eye pressure during pregnancy

When registering for pregnancy, a woman goes through medical checkup from various specialists, including an ophthalmologist. At your first visit to the ophthalmologist, tonometry is required.

Depending on the results of tonometry and general ophthalmological examination, the issue of the frequency of doctor visits is decided. If a woman has no eye complaints, IOP is normal and there are no pathological glaucomatous changes in the eyes, then a repeat examination is scheduled only before childbirth, at approximately 36 weeks.

In the event that there are no complaints or changes in the eyes, but it is detected slight increase or a decrease in pressure, then it is necessary to re-measure, preferably the next day. If the indicators are normal, then a re-examination is carried out before birth. If the IOP level remains changed, then a thorough examination is necessary to identify the cause of IOP fluctuations. The frequency of follow-up examinations depends on the identified cause.

Detection of a significant increase or decrease in pressure, the presence of pathological changes in the eyes requires a detailed additional examination of the woman and identification of the cause of the disease. The frequency and frequency of examinations is decided by an ophthalmologist on an individual basis.

During pregnancy, intraocular pressure can be measured different ways. No method for determining IOP levels affects the child. Exist following methods measuring ophthalmotonus during pregnancy:

palpation;
applanation tonometry according to Maklakov;
applanation tonometry according to Goldmann;
non-contact tonometry.

Each of these methods has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Palpation method determination of the IOP level is carried out as a preliminary. The doctor uses his fingers to lightly press on the eyelid. eyeball, determining the level of IOP. This procedure suggests the presence of changes as follows:

if the eye is soft on palpation and there is a feeling of fluctuation, then the IOP is less than 20 mm Hg. Art.;
if the eyeball has a rocky density, this means that the IOP is significantly increased.

The main disadvantage of this method is the inability to determine boundary states when pressure fluctuations are insignificant.

Applanation tonometry according to Maklakov is a standard method for determining tone in Russia. It allows you to determine the exact value of IOP and diagnose borderline conditions. Tonometry is performed under local anesthesia in a lying position. A tonometer with dye applied to it is installed on the patient's eye. Then a tonometer imprint is made on paper and the pressure value is determined from the diameter of the mark without dye.

Applanation tonometry according to Goldmann carried out in a sitting position. The tonometer is attached to the slit lamp. An anesthetic and fluorescein are instilled into the eye, then a tonometer is installed. The pressure value is determined by the scale of the device. This method avoids errors due to the thickness of the cornea and the density of the sclera of the eye.

At non-contact tonometry the eye is exposed to a stream of air. The tonometer records the degree of corneal deformation and calculates the IOP value. Benefits this method is possible to use even with inflammatory process before our eyes.