How Often Should You Give Your Eyes a Break from Contacts?

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When you’re wearing your contacts all day long, they can start to feel like lead after a while. But is this a sign that you chose the wrong lenses or that your eyes just need a break? Here, we’ll look at what you should know about contact lens wear and how to blend your habits for more daily comfort.

Eyewear Affects Everyone Differently

Your contact lenses may affect your eyes differently than other people’s. Short of trying every product from every manufacturer to verify if there’s a ‘perfect’ solution for you, you’ll need to live with your own body’s limitations. So, maybe you can wear your contacts around 8 hours before you need a break, even when someone else can wear the same contact lenses in Champaign, IL, for 16 hours without any issues.

Do You Need Better Contact Lenses?

While your anatomy has a lot to do with your experience, the right contact lenses will make a difference. The general rule of thumb is to spring for daily contacts if you want to wear your contacts all day, every day. Because manufacturers created these lenses as disposable, they don’t run the same risk of build-up that weekly or monthly lenses do. That kind of wear and tear will add up to a lot of discomfort toward the end of the lens’ lifespan.

Ask an Eye Doctor in Champaign

Eye doctors in Champaign can tell you more about how different types of people react to different types of products. They may be able to recommend a lens that feels great when you first pop them in and lasts until you pop them out at the end of a trying day. At Champaign Eye Professionals, our staff works with each of our patients, giving them the advice they need to preserve their eye health well into the future.

Should You Buy Your Glasses Online?

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If you’re tempted to buy glasses online, it’s likely because you’re trying to save time and money. (With nearly everything available as a virtual service, you may even find eye tests to help you get your prescription for free.) Of course, the real question is: should you buy your glasses online in Champaign? Here, we’ll look at the pros and cons.

Choosing Glasses

When glasses first debuted, they came in an array of prescription strengths. Instead of being tested, people would just look through different options and pick the pair that helped them see the best. You can imagine that this setup could get especially dicey when a person’s eyesight slowly got worse over the years — to say nothing of whether the glasses felt comfortable on a person’s face!

Weighing the Odds

Today, the process of picking eyeglasses in Champaign, IL, is much more precise, and this is true even if you choose to buy online. The main drawback of buying online is that you can end up with glasses you don’t want and never end up wearing. (If you’re going to spend money on prescription, it’s going to be that much harder to return.)

Plus, it only takes one wrong button click to end up with tinted lenses when you thought you were buying standard ones. Just like you might buy a suit from an e-retailer that doesn’t fit you, the virtual measuring you receive just isn’t the same as a custom fit.

Today, you can visit an eye doctor in Champaign for a prescription and tailored frames, so you can be certain that you have the most up-to-date information. If you choose to skip this step, you can end up compromising both your vision and all-over comfort. At Champaign Eye Professionals, we’re here to narrow down your options to the perfect one for you!

Why Eyes Feel Dry After Screen Time

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Dry, tired, or gritty eyes after a long day on your phone or computer? You’re not imagining it. Digital screens can take a toll on your eyes, and the reasons are surprisingly simple—and preventable.

Reduced Blinking While Staring at Screens

One of the main causes of dry eyes in Champaign, IL during screen time is reduced blinking. When you focus on a screen, your natural blink rate drops significantly. Since blinking spreads moisture across the surface of your eye, blinking less often means your eyes don’t get the lubrication they need. The result is dryness, irritation, and fatigue.

More Eye Exposure Means Faster Moisture Loss

The position of your screen matters. When you’re looking straight ahead or slightly upward, your eyes remain more open than when you’re reading a book or looking downward. That larger surface area leads to faster evaporation of your eye’s natural moisture, especially if you’re staring for long stretches without a break.

Environmental Conditions Make It Worse

Sitting near fans, heating vents, or in low-humidity spaces—like most air-conditioned offices—can worsen the problem. These conditions dry out the air around you, which in turn dries out your eyes even faster.

Common Symptoms to Watch For

You might feel a burning or stinging sensation, or it may feel like something gritty is stuck in your eye. Some people also experience blurry vision or increased sensitivity to light.

Simple Ways to Relieve Dryness

Try following the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Blink purposefully while working, use artificial tears if needed, and position your screen slightly below eye level to reduce exposure.

Your eyes work hard—especially around screens. Small adjustments can make a big difference in keeping them comfortable. For more support in keeping your eyes healthy, visit your optometrist in Champaign, IL.

How Fast Is Macular Degeneration?

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When people talk about the parts of the eye, they might refer to the iris, retina, or lens. If you’ve heard of the macula, a part of the retina that senses light at the back of the eye, it might be because you or someone you know has macular degeneration. Below, we’ll look at what this condition is and how fast it goes.

Fast Facts on Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration refers to the breakdown of the macula. Just as your cartilage, bones, and muscle mass can start to break down as you age, so too can your eyes. The macula is responsible for your central vision, so the more it breaks down, the more vision you’ll lose over time.

How Fast Does It Work?

Macular degeneration in Champaign, IL is not entirely dissimilar to numerous other bodily disorders in that it moves at its own pace, depending on the person in question. Just as some people age differently than others, macular degeneration isn’t always easy to predict. In some cases, it can take a full decade to go from infancy to final stages.

Does Macular Degeneration Result in Blindness?

This question ultimately depends on the person, but in general, no. This condition only impacts your central vision, meaning it’s usually possible to preserve your peripheral vision. If you want to slow the progression of macular degeneration, it helps to work with an eye doctor in Champaign, IL who can tell you what steps to take.

At Champaign Eye Professionals, we know how macular degeneration can impact your quality of life. If you’re looking for a team that can help you spot the signs for the earliest possible intervention, we’re here to help.