What To Look for in Sunglasses for Eye Health

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In a recent blog, we discussed why sunglasses are so important for protecting your eye health. Today, we want to discuss what to look for in a good, protective pair of sunglasses. In addition to looking fabulous, your sunglasses should protect your eyes from damaging UV rays. Here’s how to pick the best shades for your summer eye health:

Always Check the UV Protection

Select sunglasses certified to block 100% of UVA and UVB light from the sun. Some sunglasses have labels that mark “UV absorption” rather than “UV blocking.” In that case, look for labels indicating “UV absorption to 400nm.” Blocking UV radiation from your eyes can prevent damage to your eye lens and cornea, protecting you from many vision-damaging problems like macular degeneration and cataracts.

How Dark is Too Dark?

Just because sunglasses are dark doesn’t always mean they block 100% of the unwanted UV rays. Sometimes, darker glasses can cause extra eye strain because your pupils will dilate too much, causing additional light sensitivity and aggravating circumstances for people who struggle with migraines. Our eye doctor in Champaign, IL says medium-dark sunglasses are sufficient for daily use. Again, the most important thing to look for is UV blocking!

Size Matters

The larger the lens, the more protected your eyes are. Not only do larger lenses block more UV rays, but they can block dust and pollen too, which is great for people with allergies. Wrap-around sunglasses are especially protective.

What About Polarization?

Polarization and UV protection are two totally different things, but you may need both. Polarized lenses are designed to lower excess glare from water, snow, sand, and other bright, reflective surfaces. This is great for activities like boating, fishing, and skiing. That said, polarized glasses are not good for low-light driving or trying to read LCD screens.

Ask Your Optometrist in Champaign, IL

If you have questions about your quest for the perfect pair of sunglasses to protect your eyes this summer, schedule an appointment with us at Champaign Eye Professionals.

Protecting Eyes in Summer

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Summer is one of the best seasons for sunshine and fresh air. It’s healthy to get outdoors, enjoy exercise and socialize. At the same time, it’s important to protect your eyes from UV rays. UV rays can lead to vision problems, but it’s possible to avoid complications with these simple tips from your eye doctor in Champaign, IL.

Wear a Wide-Brimmed Hat

Something as simple as wearing a wide-brimmed hat can keep the sun from shining directly into your eyes. Experiment with different hats until you find one or two that you feel comfortable with, and that you look good in!

Stay Hydrated

By the time you feel thirsty, you may already be dehydrated. Keep a tumbler of fresh water with you while you bicycle, walk, drive, or play sports. Keep sipping all day long so that your whole body stays properly hydrated, including your eyes. Eyes need hydration to keep eyes from drying out and for other functions.

Avoid Chlorine

Swimming pools are a great way to cool off, but chlorine and other pool chemicals can irritate your eyes. Wear swim goggles to protect your eyes from these chemicals, and rinse your eyes with fresh water after swimming to remove any residual chlorine. If you have your own swimming pool, consider a saltwater pool, which uses a lot less chlorine than traditional systems.

Wear Quality Sunglasses

Whenever you’re outside, wear quality sunglasses that are UV-rated to block 100% of UV rays. Prolonged exposure to ultraviolet rays can increase the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration. You can get sunglasses in Champaign, IL from your eye doctor’s office.

The other important step in maximizing eye health in summer is to have regular eye exams. Contact us to book your appointment today!

3 Benefits of Photochromatic Sunglasses

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Wearing prescription sunglasses can be a bit of a hassle, particularly if you travel light. Not only are you usually going indoors and outside throughout the day, but the sun can dart in and out of clouds without much warning. Photochromatic sunglasses in Champaign, IL, change based on your eye’s exposure to light, and they can help you solve a few problems at once. We’ll look at the major benefits and where you can get a pair that fits your lifestyle. 

1. Convenient 

With photochromatic sunglasses there’s no need to carry around different sets of glasses or to have to keep switching back and forth if you’re constantly transitioning from inside to outside. If you’re used to foregoing sunglasses, this also means less eye strain throughout the day to adjust to the sun. 

2. Better Vision in Low Light 

It can be easy to keep your sunglasses on, even when the light starts to die. Photochromatic reduces the tint automatically, so you won’t have to worry about your vision even as the light changes. 

3. UV Protection 

The sun can be both good and bad for your eyes, but in general, you do need some degree of UV protection. With photochromatic sunglasses, the lenses immediately darken to protect your eyes from the rays. 

Find Photochromatic Prescription Sunglasses in Champaign

It’s worth noting that not all photochromatic sunglasses function the same way, so it helps to know what you can expect from each brand and lens before you buy. If you’re looking for an eye doctor in Champaign, IL, who can help you find the right sunglasses for your eyes, visit Champaign Eye Professionals for an evaluation. 

Does My Eye Doctor Need to Know the Supplements I’m Taking?

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Vitamins and supplements have become a way of life for many people. These extras can help us get the extra nutrients we might not always get from our regular diets. Of course, if they’re sold over the counter, it’s easy to discount their importance (or even forget which ones you’re taking).

However, when you visit the doctor, whether it’s your primary doctor or your eye doctor in Champaign, IL, it’s essential to be upfront with them and to make a complete list of what you’re taking. We’ll look at why below.

Contraindications

When a food like grapefruit can interfere with cholesterol medications, you can imagine specific vitamins and supplements could do the same. If you’re given any type of prescription, supplements, and vitamins may either make the medicine less effective or lead to more severe side effects.

Better Recommendations 

The recommendations for vitamins and supplements should be considered generic advice for the average person. If you’re at risk for certain diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration, you may need to adjust your dosage or eliminate certain types of vitamins.

Eye Doctors in Champaign, IL

When you take vitamins and supplements (as long as they’re purchased from a reputable supplier), you’re not taking tremendous risks. They may not always have the life-changing effects they often promise, but they also won’t necessarily hurt you either.

If you have questions about how to take them to reap the best benefits, a routine eye exam in Champaign, IL, can give you advice based on your individual eye health history. At Champaign Eye Professionals, our staff can evaluate the vitamins and supplements against the test results and help you make changes to ensure the best outcome.

How to Reduce Eye Strain During Work

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Eye strain at work is exceptionally common, regardless of what industry you’re in. When most people are required to use screens on a regular basis, it’s only natural for the eyes to start to feel the toll. Of course, these aren’t the only professions that lead to eye strain, though. Drivers, doctors, and even park rangers may start to blink away tears by the end of the day. We’ll look at how to reduce the strain when you’re at work.

Tips for Reducing Eye Strain 

In addition to taking regular breaks and getting regular eye exams in Champaign, IL, here are a few tips that can help you optimize your work environment:

  • Adjust your light: Use lower-intensity bulbs, shut the blinds, and turn non-essential lights off. When you think of a typical office setting with fluorescent lighting everywhere, your goal is to be about half that.
  • Buy a new monitor: An anti-glare monitor can do wonders to reduce your eye strain. You should also adjust the brightness until it’s white but not glowing. The tints should be more red and orange than blue.
  • Blink more: The more you blink, the more you moisten your eyes. This cuts out irritation and gives your eyes a much-needed break as you go about your day. You should also try focusing on an object around 20 feet away every 20 minutes to break up the close contact between your eyes and the screen.

See Your Eye Doctor in Champaign, IL

What’s the best lighting for you? How should you adjust the resolution based on your eyes? Do you need anti-reflective glasses? These questions are all best answered by an eye doctor in Champaign, IL. To set up an appointment and get your questions answered, contact us today to get the ball rolling.

How Often Should I Replace My Prescription Sunglasses?

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Prescription sunglasses are a relatively big investment for most people. More than just a pair you pick up at the drugstore, these are carefully calibrated to help you see during the day without exposing your eyes to the sun’s dangerous rays. The general advice from aneye doctor in Champaign, IL is between one and three years, though this is a big enough gap that you should want to know more about the topic. We’ll look at when to replace them, so you can stay safe without breaking the bank.

Your Prescription Changes

It’s going to be pretty tempting to keep wearing yourprescription sunglasses in Champaign, IL if your doctor discovers a relatively minor change in your vision. You may assume that you can see just fine during the daytime with your old pair. However, considering that the lenses may obscure objects in low lighting already, you really shouldn’t take the chance.

 

Your Sunglasses Are Showing Signs of Wear

The changes to your sunglasses occur very gradually over time, which can make them hard to notice. For example, if you take a closer look at the lenses, you may see that the coating of the sunglasses has worn off entirely, something that you didn’t really take note of while it was happening. If you’ve noticed that you don’t see as well or that you’re getting headaches due to bent frames, it’s probably time for a change.

 

Find Prescription Sunglasses in Champaign, IL

If you’re wearing prescription sunglasses during critical activities, like driving or biking, it’s exceptionally important that you have a pair that works for you. Whether you’re just tired of the style, you need new lenses, or the frames are shot, visit Champaign Eye Professionals to find a wide range of frames.

Why Sunglasses Are so Important

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When you visit your eye doctor in Champaign, IL, they may ask if you routinely wear sunglasses in sunlight. This seemingly strange question is because sunglasses protect the eyes from all sorts of dangers. If you thought sunglasses were a simple vanity accessory, you should know that wearing them can help preserve your eye health for a lifetime.

How Sunglasses Protect Your Eyes and Vision Health

There are multiple ways in which sunglasses protect eyes and eyesight:

  • Sunglasses provide a barrier between the eyes and environmental hazards, such as dust and airborne debris.
  • Quality, UV-rated sunglasses protect the eyes from UV rays, which exist even on cloudy days. UV rays speed up macular degeneration, so wearing sunglasses can keep your eyes younger and healthier.
  • Sunglasses prevent glare, which has been known to cause motor vehicle accidents. So whether you’re in a car, riding a bicycle, waterskiing or walking down a sidewalk, you’re actually safer from accidents when wearing sunglasses.
  • Sunglasses reduce squinting and thereby help reduce facial wrinkles around the eyes, helping you maintain a youthful appearance.

Choosing the Best Sunglasses

Cheap drugstore sunglasses may not provide the protection you need. Even though they may have a UV-rated sticker, that doesn’t necessarily mean that they offer UV protection across a broad spectrum. In addition, poor lens manufacturing methods can skew vision and damage eyesight.

Your best option for sunglasses is to order prescription sunglasses from your optometrist. That way, you’re assured of quality lenses that adhere to your corrective prescription, and you never have to choose between seeing well and shielding your eyes from UV rays.

Your optometrist offers fashionable and quality prescription sunglasses in Champaign, IL. Contact us today to book your appointment.

Taking Care of Older Eyes

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As you age, your eyes also age. Just like other parts of the body, your eyes need special consideration when they get older. Your optometrist in Champaign, IL, has some tips on caring for older eyes so you can enjoy the best possible eyesight well into the golden years.

Avoid Cataracts

Statistics say that over 90% of people aged 65 and older will develop cataracts. Because of this high percentage, many people believe that cataracts are inevitable. However, many people never develop cataracts, and there’s no reason you can’t be among the lucky few.

Cataracts in Champaign, IL and other places develop with the proteins in the eye’s lens clump together as they break down with age. But if you take certain precautions, you can delay or prevent this from happening by:

  • wear sunglasses every day
  • quit smoking
  • eat healthy
  • avoid excess alcohol intake

Avoid Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetes is a disease that affects millions of people around the world. This underlying condition can lead to diabetic retinopathy, where your very eyesight is jeopardized. Rather than lose your eyesight, be sure to have your blood sugar checked on a regular basis. If you have diabetes, let your optometrist know so they can check for symptoms of diabetic retinopathy.

Avoid Glaucoma

Glaucoma is another thief of eyesight. Unchecked glaucoma has the potential to cause partial or total blindness. Older folks, in particular, need to have regular glaucoma tests in Champaign, IL, at every eye exam. Since early detection can save vision, a good rule of thumb is to get a glaucoma test once every six months, at a minimum.

Older eyes do better with tender, loving care and attention. For more eyecare tips from your Champaign, IL optometrist, please contact us today to book your appointment.

4 Myths About LASIK

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The next time you visit your optometrist, be sure to ask about LASIK in Champaign, IL. If you wear eyeglasses or contact lenses, there’s a chance that your vision can be permanently adjusted using the advanced technology of LASIK. You’ll almost certainly have questions about this procedure, so here are some myths you must also be aware of.

1. You’ll Never Need Glasses Again

Every person’s experience with LASIK differs. Spending upon your eyesight, to begin with, LASIK may not completely eliminate the need to wear glasses ever again. Some people who get LASIK find that they still need reading glasses for close-up work such as reading or sewing.

2. LASIK is Too Dangerous

LASIK was developed out of hard work and 50 years of research before it was finally approved as a vision correction procedure by the FDA in 1999. Since then, with an extremely high success rate, LASIK has been performed on countless individuals worldwide. Like any surgery, LASIK carries risks, but these risks have been minimized, and LASIK is considered to be very safe.

3. LASIK Doesn’t Last

LASIK is a physical correction of eyesight with permanent effects. They do not wear off. What does change is people’s eyes over time. A person is still susceptible to all the changes that can happen with aging, including macular degeneration, cataracts, and more. Because of this, other treatments may be needed years later, such as eyeglasses, cataract removal, and similar.

4. LASIK is Very Painful

Most patients feel little to no pain during LASIK. There may be a sensation of pressure, but since numbing drops are used, the pain level is low to non-existent. Also, the recovery time is very short, with many people returning to their normal routine after just one day.

Contact your optometrist in Champaign, IL, at Champaign Eye Professionals. We’ll answer all your questions and see if you are a good candidate for LASIK.

The Link Between Eye Strain and Screens

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As a child, you may remember hearing your parents warning about straining your eyes. “Don’t strain your eyes,” they’d say as they turned on the lamp while you were reading or urged you to sit back away from the TV while you watched your favorite show. While the concept of straining your eyes may seem like an old wives’ tale, it’s very real. And, in today’s world, filled with screens, it’s become more common than ever before.

What is Eye Strain?

Your optometrist in Champaign, IL, can explain eye strain in detail during your next eye exam. But in general, eye strain is a kind of eye fatigue, where the muscles of your eyes become fatigued due to overexertion. Compare it to holding something heavy over your head for a long time. Eventually, your arm muscles would give out because of the strain. That’s similar to what your eyes are subjected to under certain circumstances.

The Link Between Eye Strain and Screens

Today, we stare at screens for hours on end. We look at our phones while we wait in line, peruse a screen at a restaurant to see what’s on the menu, look at the computer screen at work, then come home and stare at a television screen until bedtime. It’s relentless.

Most light emitted from screens is blue light, which is especially harmful to the eyes. Worse, studies have shown that people blink less often when staring at screens, increasing eye strain. The situation is so bad that a dedicated term has been coined called “computer vision syndrome.”

Your optometrist in Champaign, IL, at Champaign Eye Professionals, can offer you ways to protect your eyes from eye strain. Come for an eye exam and learn how to reduce or eliminate eye strain.