Will pregnancy make my keratoconus permanently worse?

Usually changes are partly or wholly temporary, settling after delivery and nursing — which is exactly why permanent decisions wait for a settled map.

Can I keep wearing scleral lenses while pregnant?

Almost always yes; dryness may ask for midday refills or a solution change. Bring the lenses to every visit and tell us what changed.

Should cross-linking happen during pregnancy?

It is generally deferred until after pregnancy and nursing; if your maps are moving, we document and coordinate timing with the surgeon.

Why can pregnancy change a keratoconus cornea?

Pregnancy hormones are thought to make the cornea's connective tissue less stiff for a while. Published cases describe keratoconus steepening during pregnancy in women with no other known risk factor. So we map more often while you are expecting, and we wait for a settled map after delivery and nursing before making any permanent decision.

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brandon Cohenmehr, OD Last reviewed October 24, 2026

Keratoconus & Pregnancy

Nine months the cornea notices too.

Pregnancy hormones loosen tissue all over the body — and the cornea is tissue. Some expectant mothers with keratoconus see their maps steepen or their prescription drift, usually settling after delivery and nursing. The plan: watch closely, judge nothing mid-shift.

Book appointmentOr call 310-828-2010 Accepted insurance

An expectant mother reading in window light

The driver: Hormones soften collagen
Common: Temporary steepening or drift
Lens comfort: Dryness can change the fit
The rule: Monitor; defer big calls

What changes

Shift, usually temporary — but worth mapping.

The maps may steepen: Documented change during pregnancy is common enough that our optometrists in Los Angeles read it in context — many corneas drift back after delivery.
Dryness changes comfort: Hormonal dryness can make scleral wear foggier or shorter; refills, saline changes and surface care usually recover the day.
Prescriptions wander: A glasses update mid-pregnancy may be out of date by the next season, and we say so before you spend.
Big decisions wait: Cross-linking and new long-term lens designs are usually timed after delivery and nursing, when the cornea has settled. Those decisions are made case by case, with your OB in the loop.

Rubbing from allergy or fatigue matters double now, so treat the itch and spare the cornea.

The cadence

More maps, fewer verdicts.

Baseline early in pregnancy if keratoconus is known
Re-map on symptoms: new ghosting, lens intolerance, fast blur
Post-delivery re-map before any permanent decision
Same-day calls for sudden haze or pain, always

Book a monitoring visit

Common questions

Pregnancy, answered.

Anything else, call the office at 310-828-2010.

Usually changes are partly or wholly temporary, settling after delivery and nursing — which is exactly why permanent decisions wait for a settled map.
Almost always yes; dryness may ask for midday refills or a solution change. Bring the lenses to every visit and tell us what changed.
It is generally deferred until after pregnancy and nursing; if your maps are moving, we document and coordinate timing with the surgeon.
Pregnancy hormones are thought to make the cornea's connective tissue less stiff for a while. Published cases describe keratoconus steepening during pregnancy in women with no other known risk factor. So we map more often while you are expecting, and we wait for a settled map after delivery and nursing before making any permanent decision.

Pregnancy near you

12222 Wilshire Blvd, on the Santa Monica border.

West Los Angeles Brentwood Santa Monica Westwood Beverly Hills Culver City Pacific Palisades West Hollywood Marina del Rey Newport Beach

Also consider

Next step

Expecting, with a cone on file?

Book the baseline. Nine months is easier with a map at the start.

Book a visit Or call 310-828-2010