How Contact Lenses Influence Oxygen Flow

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Contact lenses are a popular choice for clear vision without glasses, but there’s more to them than convenience. One key factor is how they affect oxygen flow to the cornea. Since the cornea depends on oxygen to stay healthy, the type of contact lenses in Champaign, IL you wear and how you use it can make a big difference.

Why The Cornea Needs Oxygen

The cornea has no blood vessels of its own, so oxygen comes directly from the air and from the tear film on the eye’s surface. If that supply is reduced, the tissue can swell or become irritated. Over time, a lack of oxygen can even increase the risk of infections or other complications, which is why optometrists emphasize oxygen permeability when recommending lenses.

How Lenses Can Limit Airflow

When a contact lens sits over the cornea, it acts as a partial barrier. Some materials allow more oxygen to pass through than others. Older hydrogel lenses, for example, don’t transmit as much oxygen as newer silicone hydrogel options. Modern designs have improved a lot, but there’s still variation in how different lenses handle airflow.

Fit And Wear Habits Matter

Lens material isn’t the only factor. The way a lens fits your eye and how long you wear it also play a role. Sleeping in lenses not made for overnight wear, or stretching them beyond the recommended replacement schedule, can reduce oxygen access and leave your eyes feeling red or dry.

With the right lenses and healthy habits, contact wear should feel comfortable and safe. If you’ve noticed irritation or fatigue with your lenses, it may be a sign your eyes aren’t getting the oxygen they need. A visit to your Champaign, IL optometrist can help ensure your contacts are the best match for your long-term eye health.

What Types of Contact Lenses Can You Wear for Astigmatism?

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Have you been wearing glasses for years due to astigmatism? This vision problem might have you wondering if you’ll ever be able to wear contact lenses instead of eyeglasses. Our optometrists in Champaign, IL, at Champaign Eye Professionals do offer contacts for patients with astigmatism. Let’s explore which types are used for patients who have this vision issue.

Toric Contacts

The main type of lens used for astigmatism is toric contacts. These are thicker contact lenses that provide more stability than other types of contact lenses. Toric lenses are available in different forms to suit different patients.

Soft Contacts

Do you have mild or moderate astigmatism? Having soft toric lenses with flexibility makes them more comfortable to wear. They’re easier to put in and take out, making them more convenient overall.

Rigid Gas Permeable (RGP) Contact Lenses

Soft lenses may be comfortable. But RGP toric contacts do a better job correcting astigmatism. It takes longer to get used to wearing them, but you can expect clearer vision compared to soft lenses.

Hybrid Contact Lenses

Our contact lenses in Champaign, IL, for astigmatism include hybrid contacts that combine RGP centers with softer edges. This makes them more comfortable than RGP, while still giving you sharper vision.

Choosing the Right Type for Your Vision

Which is best for you? Our optometry team can work with you to determine which kind is most suitable for correcting astigmatism for better vision.

Schedule an Appointment Today for Contact Lenses!

Are you thinking of making the switch from glasses to contacts? We can help! At Champaign Eye Professionals, our eye doctors offer contact lenses in Champaign, IL, to help patients with astigmatism and other vision problems see clearly.

Will Insurance Cover Contact Lenses?

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Your vision insurance policy is likely to be long, confusing, and full of seeming contradictions. To a certain extent, this is a conscious choice by insurance companies that can ultimately be profitable for them. If you’re wondering if your contact lenses in Champaign, IL are covered, we’ll look at what you should know before you schedule an appointment.

The First Rule: Never Assume

Most people make assumptions about their insurance, and whether it covers certain standard services and products. While the federal government guarantees certain services the general healthcare world, there’s much more wiggle room when it comes to visual health insurance plans. This means that your contact lenses may or may not be covered by your insurance. Additionally, even if they are covered, you may still need to cover a portion of the tab.

Check Your Policy

It may not always help to read your policy or call your insurance company, though these are certainly smart places to start. There are likely more exceptions to the rules than you think, which is another smart reason to avoid assumptions. For example, you may not be able to order certain types of contact lenses based on your visual disorder. If you really want to know the financial score before you settle on your contact lenses, it helps to find an eye doctor in Champaign who can work with you and your provider to find the answers.

At Champaign Eye Professionals, we’ve worked with patients with an array of insurance plans, and our staff can help you work out solutions that work for both your visual health and your budget. If you have questions about your plan (and what your out-of-pocket costs will be), contact us today to learn more.

 

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.

Tips and Tricks to Find a Contact Lens You’ve Dropped

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One of the most common issues that contact lens wearers talk about is dropping the lens. The situation has even been used a lot on movies and TV shows, with people freezing in place after someone at a party shouts, “I’ve lost my contact lens!” As funny as the media may make it out to be, there’s nothing fun about the prospect of facing the day without being able to see clearly. If—and when—you drop your contact lens, here are some tried and true tips and tricks to locating it, from your Champaign, IL optometrists.

Check Your Clothing

Contact lenses don’t fall heavily. Often, a dropped contact lens will alight on the front of your clothing, so before moving, look down at the front of your top. Next, check the tops of your shoes. These are the two most common places a lens will land.

Shine a Light On It

A contact lens will reflect light differently than other things on your floor or countertop or sink. Using a pen flashlight, slowly canvas the area where it dropped. If the light hits it, the lens will quickly become obvious.

Create a Surface Plane

Another easy way to find the lens is to get on the floor away from the area and lie your head as level flat as you can, looking sideways. Anything that’s not absolutely level with the floor—including your lens—will immediately stand out.

Clean Extra Well

Once you’ve found your lost contact lens, you can’t just pop it back in. It’s now been exposed to any number of unpleasant things. You need to clean it extra well before using it again. This means using a disinfecting solution in addition to the saline solution.

For more help with your contact lenses in Champaign, IL, reach out to Champaign Eye Professionals. We’re here for all your vision needs!

Trying to Decide Between Glasses and Contacts? What to Consider

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If you need corrective lenses, you’ll have to pick between wearing contacts or glasses. Some people prefer eyeglasses, while others prefer contacts.

If you’re new to prescription lenses and not sure which is best for you, your eye doctor in Champaign, IL, can provide you with guidance and information. At Champaign Eye Professionals, we’re happy to answer patient questions and give them information about these two types of prescription lenses.

Glasses: Pros and Cons

Glasses are worn on the face. They’re easy to put on and take off, and easy to clean. Glasses are a good option for people who want ease of use.

Glasses can impact how your face looks, so some people like glasses while others don’t. If you’re choosing glasses over contact lenses, it’s important to find a pair of glasses that you appreciate aesthetically.

Contacts: Pros and Cons

Contact lenses offer better peripheral vision compared to eyeglasses. Contacts are also safer to wear when playing sports. If you don’t like the way that eyeglasses look on your face, contact lenses may be the best option for you.

Contacts aren’t always easy to wear or take off, so some people are nervous about wearing them. Contacts can’t be worn all the time. Contacts that aren’t well-cleaned or are worn when they shouldn’t be can cause infection.

Which Is Right For You?

If you’re unsure whether to choose eyeglasses or contact lenses in Champaign, IL, contact your eye doctor at Champaign Eye Professionals. We can answer your questions and help you decide between these two prescription lens options.

Want to Get Contacts? Steps to Take

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Contact lenses allow you to enjoy accurate, clear vision without eyeglasses. Contacts are preferred by many people. If you’ve never had contact lenses before, you may have questions about how to get contacts. Your eye doctor in Champaign, IL, can help. At Champaign Eye Professionals, we help patients who want contact lenses.

Get a Checkup

The journey to getting contact lenses starts with an eye checkup to ensure your eyes are healthy. If it’s been a long time since you had a comprehensive eye exam, your eye doctor may recommend this type of eye exam.

If you’ve had a comprehensive eye exam recently, your eye doctor may recommend a less comprehensive vision exam. During the vision exam, the eye doctor will see if your prescription has changed.

Make a Contact Lens Exam

In addition to the vision exam, your eye doctor will also recommend getting a contact lens exam. During the contact lens exam, your eye doctor will check the curvature of your eye, how many tears your eyes produce, and other factors. This will help your eye doctor determine whether you are a good candidate for contact lenses, and if so, what kind.

Return for a Fitting

After the contact lens exam, the eye doctor will order contacts. When they come into the office, you’ll return for a fitting. During the fitting, the eye doctor will show you how to put your contacts on and take them off. The eye doctor will also tell you how to take care of your contacts.

Are you interested in contact lenses in Champaign, IL? Call Champaign Eye Professionals today to make an appointment.

What’s the Safest Contact Brand?

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If you’re looking for a contact lens in Champaign, IL, your first thought is likely about safety. After all, these objects will touch your eyes day in and day out, so it’s important that they enhance and protect your eyesight rather than scratch your cornea or otherwise impair your ability to see. We’ll look at which brands stand out on the market and how to select one.

The Best Contact Lenses on the Market

One particular type of contact lens is safer than the rest. The most well-known brands have a good track record for wearers, but their performance is affected by various factors. Before you settle on one over the other, here are a few tips:

  • Doctor-prescribed: You can purchase contact lenses from overseas, costume shops, etc. However, if you’re buying a lens that wasn’t either made by a reputable manufacturer or fit for your eye, you can end up causing damage to your eye health or vision.
  • Regular cleaning and replacement: If you’re purchasing multi-day contacts, you must follow a relatively strict cleaning and care regimen. Storage and replacement have much to do with your contact lenses’ safety, particularly if you wear them for more than two weeks.
  • Checkups: Your eyes can change over time, so regular checkups with an eye doctor in Champaign, IL, ensure that your contact lenses are still the best choice for you.

Get Fitted for Contact Lenses in Champaign

Contact lenses are an excellent choice for many people who want to see clearly without glasses. If you want to learn more about the best brand, the staff at Champaign Eye Professionals can give you all the recommendations you need to find a lens that protects your eyes.

New To Wearing Contacts? How to Take Care of Them  

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Contact lenses are completely different from eyeglasses, which require their own maintenance regimen. When you get your first pair of contact lenses, your eye doctor in Champaign, IL, will tell you what you need to know about caring for them. It’s important to follow all the care instructions provided to ensure that your contacts last as long as possible. Here’s what you need to know.

Tips for Taking Care of Your Contacts

The most important thing you can do to care for your contacts is to follow all instructions from your eye doctor when you are first given contacts. Following your eye doctor’s instructions will help you avoid damaging your contacts or getting infections in your eye. Other tips include:

  • Always wash your hands with soap and water, then dry them before touching your contact lenses.
  • Never use homemade saline for your contacts.
  • Never reuse your contact lens solution.
  • To clean your contact lenses, rub your contacts with newly cleaned fingers, then rinse the lenses with a sterile contact lens cleaning solution. Soak the lenses in water.
  • Never store your contacts in tap water.
  • Never put contacts in your mouth to wet them.

Store your contacts in a clean contact lens case. Rinse the case with sterile contact lens solution, then leave it to dry in the open air. Replace your contact lens case every three months.

Have Questions? Ask Your Eye Doctor

Your eye doctor at Champaign Eye Professionals can tell you what you need to know about caring for your contact lenses in Champaign, IL. If you have questions, call us today to make an appointment or to speak to one of our professionals.

 

Are Colored Contacts Safe?

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Colored contacts change the color of your eyes, giving your face an all-new look. Changing your eye color can be exciting, but it’s important to do it safely. Are colored contacts safe? This is a common question that patients ask. Here’s what you need to know before you purchase colored contact lenses.

Prescription-Grade Contacts Are Safe

Prescription grade contact lenses, including colored contacts, are safe to wear. In order to obtain a prescription for colored contacts, you must see an eye doctor. During the visit, your eye doctor will give you a contact lens exam.

In the exam, the eye doctor will determine whether your eyes make enough tears. Your eye doctor will also measure the shape and size of the eye. After the exam, your eye doctor will be able to order a custom-fitted set of contact lenses for your eyes.

Contacts Sold Without a Prescription Are Not Safe

Some online companies sell costume-grade colored contacts, but these products are available to anyone without a prescription. They are not fitted for the wearer. Because these contacts were made available without a prescription, they can cause damage including eye injury and blindness.

I Bought a Pair of Colored Contacts Without a Prescription. What Should I Do?

Wearing colored contacts can be harmful for your eyes. Don’t wear contacts that you obtained through a costume business. Instead, contact an eye doctor to obtain the contacts that are made for your eyes.

Want Colored Contacts? Get a Prescription From An Eye Doctor

If you would like colored contacts for your eyes, see an eye doctor. The eye professionals at Champaign Eye Professionals help patients like you get prescription grade contacts all the time. As your eye doctor, we’re happy to help you get colored contacts in Champaign, IL. Call today to make an appointment for a vision exam and contact lens examination.