winter-eye-care

3 Winter Eye Care Tips

As the seasons change, the way we take care of our eyes sometimes change. Now that winter is almost here, it’s important to take care of your eyes in a manner that’s appropriate for the season. Knowing how to take care of your eyes can help you avoid eye discomfort, and can also help you fight certain eye conditions. Here’s what you need to know.

1. Keep Your Eyes Moist

At this time of year, the air holds less humidity. Dryer air means dryer eyes. Eyes that are too dry may turn red, get itchy and may even impact your use of contacts. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to keep your eyes moist.

Use a Humidifier

Your home should have humidity levels between 30 and 50%. You can tell how much humidity is in your home with a hygrometer. If the hygrometer says the humidity levels are too low, use a humidifier to increase your home’s humidity.

Use Over the Counter Eye Drops

Over the counter eye drops can help keep your eyes moist at a time of year when they might otherwise get dry. If over the counter eye drops don’t seem to be helping enough, talk to your eye doctor.

2. Wear Sunglasses Outside

It might be cold outside, but that sun is still intense! Wearing sunglasses outside can help protect your eyes from UV rays. If you’re in need of prescription sunglasses in Champaign, IL, make an appointment with your eye doctor today.

3. Update Your Corrective Lens Prescription

If you haven’t updated your corrective lens prescription yet this year, then it’s time! Call your eye doctor in Champaign, IL to make an appointment for an eye examination.

wearing-sunglasses-everyday

3 Reasons to Wear Sunglasses Every Day

Sunshine is great for many areas of our health. However, spending time in the bright sunlight isn’t healthy for our eyes. That said, it’s important to wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from harmful sun rays and other elements.

Keep reading to learn 3 key reasons why you should wear sunglasses every single day.

Prevent sun-related health issues

Our eyes are one of the most sensitive areas of our bodies. If you’re exposed to the sun for an extended period of time, many health conditions can occur, and some can even be life-threatening. To give your eyes top-notch protection from those harmful sun rays, invest in high-quality sunglasses. Make sure to find models that provide 100% UVA and UVB protection, as this is the highest defense against the sun’s ultraviolet rays.

Let’s take a look at the common health conditions caused by constant sun exposure:

  • Cataracts & Glaucoma
  • Skin cancer
  • Macular degeneration
  • Pterygium

Not sure which sunglasses are right for you? Whether you need prescription or non-prescription sunglasses in Champaign, IL, Champaign Eye Professionals is here to help! Call us today to make an appointment.

Improved, more comfortable outdoor vision

Trying to see anything in the bright sunshine can be a huge challenge. Not only can this be annoying and uncomfortable, but it can also be dangerous. Whether you’re driving, riding a bike, or playing sports, wearing sunglasses can help protect you from the blinding sun.

Protection from the elements

Wearing sunglasses on a daily basis can also protect you from the elements, such as snow, sand, and wind. Snow blindness is very real, which is when the sun’s glare on snow actually burns the cornea. That said, always wear sunglasses while playing in the snow. When it comes to sand and wind, wearing sunglasses keeps these elements out of your eyes.

Contact our eye doctor in Champaign, IL, today to find the perfect sunglasses for you!

girl-with-new-glasses

Do Your Eyeglasses Need Adjustment? 5 Signs

If you own eyeglasses in Champaign, IL, you may already know that sometimes eyeglasses need adjustment. Typical eyeglasses are worn every day, for hours at a time, and thus need to fit really well. Poor-fitting eyeglasses can have a number of problems, so it’s important to get your eyeglasses adjusted if it’s needed. Below are several signs that your eyeglasses need adjusting.

1. They Slide Down Your Nose

Your eyeglasses should stay on your face easily, without sliding down your nose. Glasses that slide down your nose can get in the way of your vision, so bring them in for an adjustment. If the adjustment doesn’t work, it may be that your eyeglasses are too big for your face.

2. It Hurts Behind Your Ears

Glasses should grip onto your ears but should not cause pain behind them. New glasses can cause pain around the ears if you’re not used to wearing them, but after a few days, that should go away. If it doesn’t, get them adjusted at the eye doctor.

3. You’ve Had Them More Than a Year

Eyeglasses tend to become looser with time, as the screws and pieces that hold them together become shaken out of their position. If you’ve had your glasses more than a year, bring them to the eye doctor for a readjustment.

4. They Keep Falling Off

Glasses should not fall off your face, even when you bend forward to do tasks in front of you. If your glasses do fall off regularly, bring them to the eye doctor.

5. They’re Crooked

Glasses should sit evenly on your face. If they don’t, bring your glasses to the eye doctor in Champaign, IL. Call today to make an appointment, or stop in at our offices for an adjustment.

health-care-medical-insurance-card-stethoscope-as-symbol-medicine-wood-background

Just Got Vision Insurance? 3 Things to Do Now

So, you just got eye insurance! If you’ve never had vision insurance before, then you may not have been going to the eye doctor and getting regular eye exams when you otherwise should have. Vision insurance makes eye care more affordable. Now that you’re covered by vision insurance, it’s important to find a good eye doctor and start taking advantage of your vision coverage. Here’s what we recommend for you.

1. Find Out What’s Covered

Different vision insurance policies may cover different services. Knowing what’s covered is the first step to ensuring that you’re getting the most use out of your policy. For example, if your vision insurance covers annual replacements for your prescription glasses, then it makes sense to replace your corrective lenses annually. Read your policy or call your vision insurance company to find out more about covered services.

2. Find an Eye Doctor

Find an eye doctor in Champaign IL that accepts your vision insurance. Call around to different offices. As you’re evaluating eye doctors, take into consideration:

  • Availability. Is the eye doctor available to see you?
  • Customer service. Is the scheduling staff polite over the phone?
  • Convenience. What are the eye doctor’s availability?

Remember that the eye doctor you choose now many continue to be your eye doctor for many years. Pick an eye doctor you trust to provide good service.

3. Get An Eye Exam

Once you’ve found the right eye doctor, it should be easy to get an eye exam in Champaign, IL. Simply call your eye doctor to make an appointment. The professionals at Champaign Eye Professionals are happy to help. Call today to get your eye exam on the schedule.