How Blue Light Affects Sleep Quality

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In today’s world, screens are everywhere—phones, tablets, computers, even TVs before bed. While convenient, these devices give off blue light, which can affect more than just your eyes. It also has a direct impact on how well you sleep at night.

Why Blue Light Interferes With Sleep

Blue light has a unique wavelength that stimulates the brain and helps keep you alert. During the day, that’s actually helpful because it supports focus and energy. At night, though, exposure to blue light can trick your brain into thinking it’s still daytime. This delays the release of melatonin, the hormone that signals your body it’s time to rest.

How It Affects Your Sleep Cycle

When melatonin levels stay low, falling asleep can take longer, and staying asleep becomes more difficult. Over time, disrupted sleep cycles may leave you feeling less rested, even after a full night in bed. Many people notice they wake up groggy or have trouble concentrating the next day if they’ve spent time scrolling before bedtime.

Steps To Reduce The Impact

There are practical ways to limit the effects of blue light. Setting devices aside an hour before bed gives your body a chance to wind down naturally. Blue light–filtering glasses in Champaign, IL, available through your optometrist, or screen settings that reduce brightness can also help. Creating a calming bedtime routine—reading a printed book, stretching, or listening to soft music—can signal your body that it’s time to relax without the interference of screens.

While blue light is part of everyday life, managing how and when you’re exposed to it can improve sleep quality. If you’ve been struggling with restless nights or constant fatigue, it may be worth talking with your optometrist in Champaign, IL. They can recommend solutions that protect your eyes while helping you get the rest you need.

Why Glare is Worse at Night

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Driving after dark can be tough for many people, even those with otherwise healthy eyes. One of the most common complaints is glare—bright halos around headlights or reflections that seem more intense than during the day. But why does glare feel so much worse at night? The answer comes down to how our eyes adjust to low light and the way light scatters inside the eye.

How the Eyes React to Darkness

Knowing how the eyes work helps to understand why glare worsens at night. Light enters the eyes through the pupil, that black dot in the middle of your eye. The camera lens was modeled on the human eye. Like a camera aperture, the pupil widens when there’s less light in order to allow more light rays to enter the eye—because light enables visibility.

So, while this widening of the pupil lets a person see in dark conditions, it simultaneously allows more stray light to enter. Instead of being focused cleanly on the retina, some of that light scatters, creating a hazy glow or halo effect. This is why headlights or streetlights can seem almost blinding compared to their daytime appearance.

Common Causes of Night Glare

Certain eye conditions make glare more noticeable. Cataracts in Champaign, IL, for example, cloud the lens and scatter light more severely. Dry eye can also increase glare, since an uneven tear film changes how light bends as it enters the eye. Even uncorrected vision problems, like nearsightedness or astigmatism, can exaggerate nighttime glare.

Daily Impact

For many people, glare is more than an annoyance—it can affect safety. Driving becomes stressful, especially on busy roads where headlights shine directly into your line of sight.

If glare is interfering with your daily life, it’s worth scheduling an eye exam with your optometrist in Champaign, IL. Contact Champaign Eye Professionals to book your appointment.

Are You a Good Candidate For LASIK?

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For many people tired of juggling glasses or contact lenses, LASIK surgery seems like an appealing solution, and for good reason. The procedure has been around for years, and advances in technology have made it safer and more effective than ever before, not to mention the freedom it brings as far as improved eyesight. If you’re interested in this groundbreaking procedure, the first step is talking with your optometrist to determine if you’d make a good candidate.

Age and Eye Health

Most Champaign, IL optometrists recommend LASIK only for adults whose vision has been stable for at least a year. If your prescription changes frequently, it’s better to wait. Beyond that, healthy eyes are a must. Problems like severe dry eye, advanced glaucoma, cataracts, or corneal disease may disqualify you or point toward other treatment options.

General Health Factors

Your overall health matters as well. Conditions such as autoimmune disease, uncontrolled diabetes, or medications that interfere with healing can complicate recovery. Lifestyle is another consideration. People involved in contact sports or jobs with a high risk of eye trauma may need to think carefully, since impact can affect surgical results. It’s a big decision—one that you and your optometrist should make together.

Expectations and Consultation

Perhaps the biggest factor is mindset. LASIK offers excellent results, but it isn’t perfect. Many patients still use reading glasses later in life or need lenses for certain activities. The goal is improvement, not perfection. A comprehensive exam and consultation with an eye doctor remains the best way to know if LASIK in Champaign, IL is appropriate.

If you’ve wondered whether you qualify, scheduling that eye exam is the first step. By reviewing your prescription, corneal thickness, and health history, your optometrist can tell you if LASIK is a safe, effective option for your needs. Contact Champaign Eye Professionals today to learn more.

How to Relieve Your Eyes from Harsh Lighting at Work

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Being under harsh lighting at work can be detrimental for your eye health, especially if you find yourself straining or squinting by the end of the day. However, in many jobs, there aren’t always a lot of easy solutions. For example, a surgeon may not be able to take a break to get more natural lighting if they’re in the middle of a surgery.

What’s worse, harsh lighting can start to feel ‘normal’ after a while, which can take a bigger toll than you realize. Here, we’ll look at a few tips that can give you some relief.

Take Protection Into Your Own Hands

Many people may tell you to go outside for more natural lighting or to adjust the glare if you want to protect your eyes at work. Of course, not every workplace allows for this, which is why you may need to make a more conscious effort.

For example, you may need to force yourself to blink more often, which is your body’s best chance at lubricating your eyes under even the harshest of lights. If you can, you can also carry eye drops on you, so you can lubricate your eyes whenever you get a chance to rest.

See an Optometrist in Champaign

The best thing that you can do at work is to give yourself breaks, adjust your lighting, and implement task lighting. If you can’t do that, though, an optometrist in Champaign, IL may be able to help you beyond blinking and over-the-counter eye drops.

Whether you need prescription-strength drops or a special pair of eyeglasses in Champaign, the staff at Champaign Eye Professionals can help you learn more about potential options — even if you almost none at work.

Tips to Reduce Your Risk of Getting Cataracts

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Do you have cloudy vision or see halos around lights? Getting older often means dealing with increased risks of eye conditions, including cataracts. These occur when your eye lenses become clouded. Our optometrists in Champaign, IL, at Champaign Eye Professionals offer treatment for cataracts if they’re severe enough to interfere with your vision. But you can take steps now to help reduce your risk of getting them.

Don’t Skip Eye Exams

Routine eye and vision exams are always important. If you’re concerned about developing cataracts, these visits give us a chance to check for them on a regular basis. Finding them early means we can monitor them and provide treatment if needed.

Stop Smoking

Being a smoker means you have a higher chance of getting cataracts — and many other health issues. Work on quitting if you have this habit.

Protect Your Eyes from the Sun

UVB rays from the sun can damage your vision and increase your risk of having cataracts. Throw on a pair of sunglasses before heading outside, even in winter. But make sure they offer protection from UVB rays!

Manage Medical Conditions

Some diseases, such as diabetes, give you a higher risk of having cataracts and other eye conditions. Work on managing these underlying health issues to protect your vision.

Fill Up on Fruits and Vegetables

Berries, spinach, and other fruits and vegetables have antioxidants that help keep your eyes healthy and safe from damage. Include these in meals, and enjoy them as snacks!

Schedule an Eye Checkup Today!

Worried about getting cataracts? Regular eye exams are an important part of finding them early and treating them as needed. Our optometrists at Champaign Eye Professionals offer cataract treatment in Champaign, IL, to help support your vision!

Newly Diagnosed? The Impact of Diabetes on Vision

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If you are a newly diagnosed person with diabetes, you face a wide range of questions and concerns to address. One of these needs to be your optical health. When left unchecked, diabetes can lead to a range of visual problems, including several conditions that can cause blindness. To protect your vision, you need to be aware of how diabetes impacts your sight and what you can do about it.

High Blood Sugar Can Damage the Retina

High blood sugar levels can cause a couple of problems with the retina. One is diabetic macular edema or DME. This occurs when fluid leaks into the macula, a part of the retina. This fluid distorts or blurs the vision, and it can lead to blindness if left untreated.

The second impact on the retina is diabetic retinopathy. The leading cause of blindness in adults, this condition affects the blood vessels in the retina. High sugar levels cause swelling and leaking, which can cause vision loss. Getting regular checks from an eye doctor in Champaign, IL, is vital to protect against these two issues.

Glaucoma and Cataracts

People with diabetes are also at higher risk for developing glaucoma and cataracts. Both of these conditions can be permanently damaging if left untreated.

Regular Diabetic Vision Screenings Are a Must

Because of the risk of these conditions, people with diabetes need to have regular vision screenings. Your eye doctor in Champaign, IL, at Champaign Eye Professionals will likely want to dilate your eyes in order to check the health of the retina. We will do a thorough eye exam to ensure you are not developing these conditions. In addition, we will encourage you to work with your endocrinologist to keep your blood sugar levels in check so you have less risk of vision damage.

Being newly diagnosed is challenging, but with diabetic eye care from Champaign Eye Professionals, you can proactively protect your sight, in spite of your new diagnosis.

Why Are My Eyes Chronically Dry?

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Your eyes have a built-in mechanism for keeping your eyes moisturized. Although it’s natural for eyes to feel dry on occasion, this shouldn’t happen on a regular basis. If it does, you may have chronic dry eyes, and that can indicate a problem of some kind. Now, the problem isn’t necessarily something to do with the eye itself, although a dry eye evaluation in Champaign, IL is the only reliable determinant of that. The problem could be related to a number of things.

Allergies

It’s possible that you have eye allergies. Even if you’ve never had allergies before, they can develop at any time. Try to pay attention to when your eyes feel dry. You may discern a pattern that correlates between something in your diet or in the seasonal air, and the onset of dry eyes.

Toxins

Have you moved recently or changed to a new job? If your dry eyes only happen in a certain location, it’s possible that your eyes are responding to an airborne toxin. Even something as innocuous as household bleach can cause dry eyes if it’s used in excess quantities, such as when disinfecting commercial floors.

Tear Duct Blockage

If you find that your eyes have almost no moisture and you can’t even drum up a single tear, it’s possible there’s a physical reason for your dry eyes, which might be a blockage of your tear ducts. If this is the case, it might be possible to have a procedure to correct the problem.

There’s quite a bit of danger in ignoring chronic dry eyes. Your eyes need moisture. Without it, the cornea is prone to all kinds of damage, and there could be other complications, as well. Book an appointment today with your Champaign, IL optometrist so you can get a diagnosis and treatment.

What to Expect With LASIK Recovery Times

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LASIK surgery is a very popular procedure that has helped millions of people around the globe to get good vision. For those who find that they’ve grown tired of wearing glasses or contact lenses just to go about their daily lives, the idea of LASIK is almost too good to pass up. If you undergo LASIK, you should know that there is a recovery period after surgery. At Champaign Eye Professionals, we provide pre and post-operative support to patients who have LASIK. It’s called LASIK co-management in Champaign, IL, and we welcome any questions you may have related to this service. In the meantime, here’s what you can expect with LASIK recovery times.

Immediately After Surgery

You should organize for someone to drive you home afterward, because right after having LASIK, it’s common to experience mild discomfort, such as a gritty sensation, light sensitivity or watery eyes. These symptoms make it just a little uncomfortable to drive, so to be on the safe side, get someone else to help out. The symptoms will abate in a few hours, but for good measure, you should plan on resting. Avoid things that may strain your eyes, like reading, sewing and the like. Instead, rest your eyes and consider playing music or listening to an audio book or something similar. Your eye doctor will give you protective glasses or an eye shield, so you should use that as instructed, too. This will help to prevent you from accidentally rubbing your eyes, as well as to block out excess light.

Ongoing Recovery

By the end of the first week, many patients notice significant improvements in their vision. However, some may still experience dryness or glare, particularly at night. It’s crucial to follow your optometrist’s aftercare instructions, including attending follow-up visits and using lubricating drops as needed.

LASIK recovery is generally smooth, but results and timelines vary. And your optometrist in Champaign, IL will be with you the whole way!

What Causes Eyelashes to Fall Out?

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For many, especially women, long, lush eyelashes are a valued symbol of beauty. And in fact, nice eyelashes look good on everyone. So much so that many people are willing to go to great lengths to have them. That’s why, when eyelashes fall out, it can feel so scary. As your optometrist in Champaign, IL, we want to help you to understand the possible causes of eyelash loss.

Natural Growth Cycle

Eyelashes, like all hair, go through a growth cycle consisting of growth, transition, and resting phases. Shedding is a normal part of this process, and it’s common to lose a few lashes daily.

Poor Makeup Practices

Heavy mascara use, failing to remove makeup at night, or harsh removal techniques can weaken and break lashes. Waterproof products can also be overly drying, making lashes brittle over time.

Allergies and Irritation

Allergic reactions to eye makeup, eyelash extensions, or adhesives can cause inflammation and shedding. Conditions like blepharitis, where the eyelid margins become inflamed, may also contribute to lash loss. Note that, if eyes seem to be chronically dry in addition to losing eyelashes, it might be best to get a dry eye evaluation in Champaign, IL.

Medical Conditions

Certain medical issues, including thyroid disorders, alopecia areat and skin conditions like eczema, can lead to eyelash thinning. Chemotherapy or certain medications may also make lashes fall out.

Stress and Nutritional Deficiencies

High stress levels can trigger telogen effluvium, a condition where more hairs enter the resting phase prematurely, leading to noticeable shedding. Deficiencies in nutrients like biotin, iron and vitamins A and E may also weaken lashes.

Adopting gentle eye care habits, choosing hypoallergenic products, and addressing underlying health issues are essential steps. If eyelash loss persists or worsens, contact your optometrist at Champaign Eye Professionals.

How Screens Impact Eye Health

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Modern life has given the world tremendous advantages, but increased screen time isn’t one of them. It’s still too early to definitively tell the long-term effects of humans looking at screens so much; we might not have any answers for many decades to come. But we already know the short-term effects and your optometrist in Champaign, IL wants you to be aware of the risks. No one expects you to quit all screens. But it’s important to know how screens can impact eye health.

Digital Eye Strain

Prolonged focus on screens can lead to digital eye strain, also known as computer vision syndrome. Symptoms include eye fatigue, blurred vision, headaches and difficulty focusing. These occur because extended screen use reduces blink rates, causing the eyes to dry out and work harder to maintain focus.

Blue Light Exposure

Many screens emit invisible blue light, a high-energy wavelength that can disrupt natural sleep cycles, especially when exposure occurs at night. Extended exposure to this light may also lead to more frequent eye fatigue during daily activities.

Dry Eye Syndrome

Digital devices contribute to dryness in the eyes because users blink less often when focusing on a screen. This reduction in blinking leads to decreased tear production and evaporation of moisture from the eye’s surface. Over time, this can cause irritation, redness and discomfort.

Myopia Progression

Research suggests that extensive screen time, especially among children, is associated with an increased risk of developing nearsightedness (myopia). Spending long periods focusing on nearby screens limits exposure to natural light and may alter the development of the eye, leading to myopia progression.

Reduced Visual Performance

Long-term screen use can impair the ability to focus or adjust between different viewing distances. This can result in lingering discomfort, particularly in environments that demand high visual acuity, such as reading fine print or working on detailed tasks.

These impacts emphasize the importance of balancing screen time with other activities to maintain optimal eye health. For help with any of the symptoms associated with excess screen time, including dry eye syndrome in Champaign, IL, contact us today.