mature woman cleaning her eyeglases with disinfectant

3 Ways to Prevent Your Sunglasses from Being Scratched

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After spending time at the beach and playing sports and on the go during a busy summer, sunglasses often look worse for wear. Protecting your sunglasses from scratches can extend their service life and give you more time to enjoy them. By establishing good habits with your sunglasses and by working with your eye doctor in Champaign IL, you can help protect your sunglasses from scratches this summer.

1. Put Them In a Case

Keeping your sunglasses in a case is the first and easiest way to ensure that your glasses will not be scratched while they’re not in use. When choosing a case, prioritize sturdiness.

Look for a case that will totally enclose your glasses without allowing grit inside as your glasses are carried around from one place to another. If you spend a lot of time at the beach, it’s especially important to have a case that will keep out sand. Make a habit of putting your sunglasses in a case any time you aren’t wearing them.

2. Establish a Spot Where They “Live”

Put your sunglasses case in one location and keep it there – whether it’s in your purse, the glove box or on your nightstand. Establishing a spot where you always keep your sunglasses will help you avoid putting your sunglasses in places where they’re likely to get scratched – like on the seat of your car or in the bottom of your beach bag.

3. Get An Anti-Scratch Coating

Ask the eye doctor for an anti-scratch coating when you’re ordering your new pair of sunglasses. An anti-scratch coating will help keep the lenses scratch-free and clear for years of use.

Want to get a hard case or an anti-scratch coating for your sunglasses in Champaign IL? Call Champaign Eye Professionals today to make an appointment.

 

Vector illustration of diabetic retinopathy, a complication of diabetes caused by high blood sugar and normal healthy eye isolated. Cotton wool spots, hemorrhages, aneurysms, abnormal blood vessels.

6 Early Warning Signs of Diabetic Retinopathy

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Diabetic retinopathy is a serious condition that can eventually lead to blindness if left untreated. Unfortunately, there are few early warning signs that are obvious to the patient. This is why your eye doctor in Champaign, IL encourages you to come in for routine eye exams. Your eye doctor can detect early warning signs of the condition long before they become apparent to you.

Behind the Scenes

What happens behind the scenes in diabetic retinopathy is what eventually leads to some of the warning signs perceptible to the patient later on. This condition includes, but is not limited to, the abnormal growth of new blood cells in the retina.

1. Floaters

Vitreous hemorrhage in diabetic retinopathy is when the new blood cells leak into the vitreous in the center of the eye. This often results in what are commonly called floaters. An increase in the frequency or number of floaters could be an early warning sign of diabetic retinopathy.

2. Lessened Ability to Discern Colors

Colors may appear duller and it may be challenging to detect differences between similar hues.

3. Decreased Night Vision

Vision doesn’t adjust as quickly to changes in light, and night vision may disappear altogether.

4. Pain in the Eyes

Pain from increased pressure inside the eyes may present as dull and throbbing or sharp and sporadic.

5. Fluctuations in Vision Clarity

Vision may suddenly become blurry, then return to clear, then back again.

6. Blank Areas in Vision

Dark spots or “blank” spots may appear in the field of vision. These blank areas may come and go sporadically, they may drift or they might stay in one spot.

A comprehensive eye exam in Champaign, IL can help to detect diabetic retinopathy as soon as possible. Contact us to schedule your eye exam today.

 

Elderly man examined by an ophthalmologist

If I Have Cataracts, Do I Need Surgery?

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Cataracts that are left untreated can cause blindness. In fact, cataracts are the leading cause of blindness worldwide. If you have cataracts, it’s natural to wonder whether you need cataract surgery to treat your condition. Your eye doctor in Champaign, IL can help you determine whether surgery is necessary, but here’s what you should know about cataracts and the surgical treatment.

You May Not Need Surgery Immediately

Although the only way to get rid of cataracts is to treat them with surgery, most eye doctors will start by prescribing prescription lenses that can help patients see with their cataracts. In the early stages, cataracts are mild enough that most patients can live their day-to-day lives without serious negative consequences. The right prescription lenses can help patients see clearly enough that they can continue to drive, navigate the world, read and more.

When Surgery Is Required

Surgery is required to treat cataracts when the patient’s day-to-day life is negatively impacted by the presence of cataracts. When the patient loses the ability to do important everyday tasks because of their cataracts, surgery may be the only way to help the patient regain quality of life.

How Can I Tell If I Need Cataract Surgery?

If you are a patient suffering from cataracts, you can find out if your cataracts are serious enough to justify surgery by speaking with your eye doctor. Your eye doctor can evaluate your cataracts and recommend surgery if it is warranted.

If you suffer from cataracts, it’s important to get cataract treatment in Champaign, IL. At Champaign Eye Professionals, we can help you get the treatment you need to maintain good quality of life. Call today to get started.

Ophthalmologist examining patient's eyes

3 Reasons to Schedule an Annual Eye Exam

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If your vision doesn’t noticeably change very often from year to year, you might understandably put off your annual exam. This is likely even more true if you tend to get the same report of clean health every year. However, there are reasons why doctors recommend it at least once a year, and it’s not because they’re trying to drum up business. Here are a few reminders of why it’s so important to take the precaution.

1. You Don’t Always Notice When Your Vision Changes

There are times when your vision can shift ever so slightly, and the change might not always register with you. For instance, you may see at -2.75 in your left eye in Jan, but a -3.0 by November. Your brain will learn to see at your current prescription, perhaps by having you squint ever so slightly, but the strain on your eyes will eventually catch up with you.

2. Eye Conditions Can Happen at Any Age

No matter how old you are, a routine eye exam in Champaign, IL will check your eyes for any number of eye diseases. While certain conditions, like cataracts, are more associated with the elderly population, you never want to assume that vision loss could never happen to you.

3. You Can Talk to a Professional

At Champaign Eye Professionals, we can tell you how critical it can be to make these appointments, if only because you set aside the time to talk to a professional about your vision. Even if you haven’t noticed anything wrong, you have the chance to learn more about what to expect as your eyes age. Plus, if you see the same eye doctor in Champaign, IL every year, they’re more likely to keep your eye health on track.