Pregnancy is known to cause refractive changes as a result of various hormonal changes occurring during pregnancy. These changes may persist for a few weeks post-partum and during lactation. In this article we discuss various refractive issues in pregnancy that have an effect on contact lens use, myopia and the outcome of refractive surgery.

Changes in metabolism, hormone profile and blood circulation that normally occur during pregnancy can affect functioning of the mother's eyes. Visual changes in pregnancy are common and many are specifically associated with pregnancy itself. Knowledge of these ocular changes can help to differentiate the physiological changes from ocular manifestation of systemic disease and diseases pertaining to the eye in a pregnant woman. The effects of pregnancy on the eye are reviewed in this article.