How Can I Know If I Have Cataracts?

/0 Comments/in , /by

Cataracts sound scary, but they don’t have to be. Knowing the signs that you have cataracts can help you determine when it’s time to see an eye doctor. Getting treatment early is important for your vision and safety. The good news is that cataracts are treatable, provided that you see your eye doctor in Champaign IL.

What Are Cataracts

A cataract is just a cloudy lens that gets in the way of clear vision. As the cataract grows, the cloudiness becomes worse. Cataracts don’t necessarily develop together or in perfect symmetry with each other – one eye may have a more severe cataract than the other. To manage this, your doctor may prescribe corrective lenses that treat each eye differently.

Signs of Cataracts

Below are some of the most common signs of cataracts:

  • Cloudy vision
  • Double vision
  • Blurry vision
  • Noticing halos around lights
  • Need for increasingly bright light when reading
  • Colors getting faded or yellowed
  • Need for increasingly strong prescription in corrective lenses

What to Do If You Think You Have Cataracts

If you think you have cataracts, the first thing that you should do is contact your eye doctor for cataract services in Champaign IL. Your eye doctor can diagnose your condition and let you know if you have cataracts.

If you do have cataracts, your eye doctor will likely start by prescribing stronger corrective lenses to help with your problem. As the cataracts continue to progress, your eye doctor may eventually recommend corrective surgery to fix the problem.

For more information about how to manage cataracts and other common eye problems, contact Champaign Eye Professionals. We can diagnose your condition and recommend treatments to help improve your vision.

woman and man in love traveling on bicycles at sunset sea

Summer Eye Care Tips

/0 Comments/in /by

Summer is an important time of year to take care of your eyes! Wearing the right protective eyewear and seeing your eye doctor in Champaign IL can help. This summer is fast approaching. Here’s what you need to know about taking care of your eyes in the coming season.

Wear Sunglasses

Sunglasses are good for your eyes in so many ways. Some sunglasses block harmful UV rays that can cause conditions like cataracts. Sunglasses also make it easier to see while you’re doing things like driving, spending time at the beach and navigating your way around town.

It’s very important to wear sunglasses throughout the summer. If you need prescription sunglasses in Champaign IL, make an appointment to see the eye doctor as soon as possible.

Wear Eye Protection When Doing Work Outside

Are you going to be using a weed wacker or a lawn mower? If so, you should be wearing eye protection! Wearing eye protection when doing work outside can prevent your eyes from getting injured by flying debris. There are many types of eye protection that can fit over prescription glasses, but if you need prescription eye protection for whatever reason, talk to your eye doctor.

Avoid Sunburned Eyes

If you go outside (maybe to the ocean or to a swimming pool) and spend too much time looking into bright lights, you can get sunburned eyes. This condition, also called photokeratitis, can cause problems like eye pain, headache, sensitivity to light – and even temporary blindness. Wear sunglasses and a hat when spending time outdoors!

Know When to See the Eye Doctor

If you’re experiencing blurry vision, changes in vision and other problems, see the eye doctor in Champaign IL. If you need sunglasses or new prescription lenses for this summer, call Champaign Eye Professionals to make an appointment.

How to Find the Best Sunglasses for Cataract Prevention

/0 Comments/in , /by

By the time people reach 80 years old, at least half of them either have cataracts or have undergone cataract surgery. Many who show up for cataract treatment in Champaign, IL are surprised to learn that UV exposure has a lot to do with cataract development. With this in mind, finding the right sunglasses for cataract prevention becomes really important. Take a look at a few tips to find the best sunglasses to lower your risk of cataracts.

1. UV-Blocking Capabilities

When shopping for sunglasses to protect yourself from cataracts, you will want optimal UV protection. Make sure the sunglasses protect against both UVA and UVB rays. The best sunglasses can offer up to 100 percent UV protection.

2. Embedded UV Blocking Build

Sunglasses can have a UV-protective tint, or they can have the actual UV protection built right into the lens. The latter is going to offer the best level of protection. Further, polarized lenses are a good option because they have slightly reflective lenses that help to reduce glare from the sun.

3. Larger Frames

Sunglasses should always protect the front of your eyes. However, sunlight and damaging UV rays can also slip in around the sides of the frames. The goal should be to have glasses that keep light out from all angles. Therefore, larger frames with lenses that fit closer to your eyes can be the best option.

4. Proper Fit

Talk to a Champaign, IL Eye Doctor for Advice

Even though cataracts are common, they are also preventable in most cases. If you would like to know more about your risks of cataracts or if you believe you have cataracts, a Champaign eye doctor can help. Reach out to us at Champaign Eye Professionals to schedule an appointment.

Can Contact Lenses Get Lost Behind the Eye?

/0 Comments/in , /by

If you are worried about getting contact lenses in Champaign, IL, you may be concerned about someday having your lens get lost behind your eye. There are stories of people who supposedly lost their contact behind their eye, never to find it again. Of course, these stories are false. It’s most likely that the contact lens simply fell to the floor or down the drain, and the wearer thought it was lost in the eye.

It’s Physically Impossible to Lose a Contact Lens Behind the Eye

Because of the way the eye is constructed, it’s a physical impossibility for a contact lens to get lost behind the eye. It helps to have a little understanding of the anatomy of the eye.

The part of the eye that consists of your eyelids and eyelashes is called the conjunctiva. The upper is called the palbebral conjunctiva and the lower is called the bulbar conjunctiva. From the outside, it appears as if you could slide something—like a contact lens—between the eyelid and the eyeball. But what you can’t see is that the conjunctiva folds back onto the eye, creating a kind of pocket. So even if something slides into that pocket, it can never go any farther than the fold. This is why, when you get something in your eye such as an eyelash, you can usually do an eye wash and get it to come out of the eye.

Now you know that your contact lens can never get lost behind the eye. Isn’t it time that you seriously consider getting contact lenses? They are a great alternative to wearing eyeglasses. Your eye doctor in Champaign, IL can fit you with comfortable contact lenses in just one appointment. Contact us today to book your contact lens eye exam.