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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Contact lenses during labour?

37 replies

lakelandfirsttime · 04/08/2008 15:07

I'm due in 4 weeks and read in one of my pregnancy books over the weekend that you can't wear contact lenses during labour. There was no explanation for this it just said that you can't. I wear daily lenses and really don't want to have to wear my glasses. Can anyone advise if this is correct and if so why?

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seeker · 05/08/2008 08:18

I wouldn't. You screw up your face in all sorts of odd shapes in labour,a nd it would be very easy to dislodge a lens. Believe me,you don't want to be faffing with a lens that's slipped up under our eyelid in the middle of a contraction! And hospitals are very hot, dry places - your eyes may very well get sore. And if the absolute worst happens and you have to have an anesthetic, you don't want lenses in then.

I remember having the most wonderful bath after my babies were born, then putting clean clothes on and my lenses in - it was lovely!

harpomarx · 05/08/2008 10:25

god, you had a bath at your hospital seeker? I just remember a grim shower with a floor so dirty you had to wear flip flops

true about the potential for dislodging too I expect. That happened to me at the dentist due to the amount of anaesthetic they pumped into my face.

Upwind · 05/08/2008 10:39

I buy good quality lenses cheaply online - they never slip or dislodge and the few occasions where I have not had a chance to take them out overnight, they have been fine. I will be bringing my glasses as a back up but have every intention of wearing contacts in labour.

I had surgery a few months ago and when asked before hand if there was anything I was worried about I said it was "waking up in recovery unable to see anything or anyone". They pointed out that if I was happy to leave the lenses in for surgery there was no problem at their end. They just needed to know whether the lenses were there to comply with health and safety guidelines - basically, in case anything somehow got in my eyes and the lens had to be removed while washing it out. But they also said that never happened.

So in some hospitals at least they have no problem with performing abdominal surgery while contact lenses are in place. I don't recall my eyes even being dry when I came around but was still woozy from the general anaesthetic so it is hard to say.

GirlWithTheMouseyHair · 05/08/2008 10:58

i never have photos taken with my glasses on...and def wouldn't do it with hair all over the place/no make up etc - each to their own but that's the consequence of being bullied for being a 4 eyes all the way through school!

I'll go blind

Upwind · 05/08/2008 11:00

Should add - the cheapest lenses from opticians are probably not suitable for e.g. a 36 hour labour. It might be worth asking an optician about the kind you use and upgrading temporarily if necessary.

SugarPig · 05/08/2008 11:20

I'm going to wear my lenses but take my glasses just in case - and I would remove them for the photos!

HopingCat · 05/08/2008 20:33

I seem to remember having my eyes squeezed closed for so much of my labour that it didn't matter that I didn't have my lenses in or my glasses on. Think I asked my MW this question prior to labour and she said nobody had ever asked her about lenses before so she didn't know what I should do.

Upwind · 05/08/2008 20:39

My eyes are -6.5, so I am literally blind without my contacts, and I would find not being able to see very scary. Glasses steam up, get greasy, get in the way of burying my face in my pillow! After reading this thread I think I might not mention the contacts but just wear them

RambleOn · 05/08/2008 20:40

I wore mine in labour, which ended up being an emerg c/s.

They wanted to take my lenses out when they rushed me to theatre, but I cried and said I wouldn't be able to see my baby.

They kindly let me keep them in

giddykipper · 05/08/2008 20:42

I wore mine, it never crossed my mind to take them out, I had other things to think about!

whinegums · 05/08/2008 21:01

I added to my birth plan that I use extended wear (monthly) contacts and feel disorientated without them - mw was fine about that. I took some contact lens eyedrops in my labour bag and my specs - didn't need either,

madmouse · 05/08/2008 22:42

I hate glasses and have them only for emergencies and to go to the loo at night on campsites

I wear good oldfashioned gas perms and wore them from 8am on the thursday (when they induced me) until about midday on the Friday (after the birth when I was mobile enough to take them out and clean them).

I too would have felt very disoriented without them and if forceps had failed i would have had a c-section wearing them!

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