A large-scale study conducted by the National Institutes of Health in 2011 found that the children of women who smoked while pregnant had a 1.5 percent higher chance of developing astigmatism than children whose mothers did not smoke while pregnant.
While smoking during pregnancy causes harm to your baby’s eyesight, merely being a lactating mother can cause changes in your eyesight.
• Hyperopia: farsightedness
• Presbyopia: farsightedness
• Astigmatism
These changes are often temporary for pregnant women. Expect your problems to slowly fade after the first menstrual cycle following lactation. Getting an eye exam is always a good idea, especially to be sure the change in vision does not belie another disease.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma causes damage to the optic nerve. You might notice a slow but steadily increasing pressure in the eyes. This pressure occurs because of intraocular fluid buildup that should normally move freely in and out of your eye.
Where the iris and the cornea converge, this is where the fluid usually leaves your eye. If the drainage system does not work properly, then the liquid will build up and create pressure on your eye. This pressure is what damages the optic nerve.
While glaucoma cannot be "fixed," it can be stopped if your optometrist discovers it early. Getting a yearly comprehensive eye exam is your best bet to catch glaucoma in its early stages.