Assessment of the prevalence of refractive eye error and IOP during pregnancy and after delivery in patients referred to ophthalmology clinic of Boo-Ali Hospital of Qazvin in 1387

Background and Many pregnant women some of whom also suffer from refractive errors and use eyeglasses attend eye clinics The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of refractive eye errors and changes in IOP, during pregnancy and after delivery among patients referred to ophthalmology clinic of Boo-Ali Hospital of Qazvin. The study was conducted at eye clinic of Boo-Ali Hospital in Gazvin- Iran. A total of 150 pregnant women aged 17 to 38 years (mean 24.76 ± 4.61) were treated by ophthalmologist in three stages (16- and 32- week of pregnancy and 4 months after childbirth. Initially, all pregnant women were visited by a gynecologist and then they were referred to the ophthalmology clinic. The visual acuity was determined using chart Snellen from a distance of 6m and then refractive errors were measured by static retinoscopy and autorefractometer. Intraocular pressure was measured using air-puls noncontact tonometer in three stages. In the first stage (16-week of pregnancy), hyperopia was seen in 12 patients (%8), myopia in 104 patients (%69.3), astigmatism in 26 patients (%17.3) and 8 patients (%5.3) were normal. The results of the second stage (32-week of pregnancy) showed that 3 patients (%2) were hyperopia, 143 patients (%95) myopia, 2 patients (%1.3) astigmatism and 2 patients (%1.3) were normal. Four months after childbirth, 5 patients (%3.3) were hyperopia, 129 patients (%86) myopia, 13 patients (%13.7) astigmatism and 3 patients (%2) normal. The estimated relative risk of myopia was increased significantly in the second stage. The patient's IOP in the first stage was higher than the second stage and this difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The results of this research showed that there is a significant relationship between pregnancy and myopia. IOP was reduced during pregnancy and return to the normal level after delivery.