Comprehensive Vs. Routine Eye Exams: How to Choose

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Eye exams are an important part of keeping your peepers healthy, but there’s not a one-size option. If you’re wondering which type of eye exam in Champaign, IL, is right for you, we’ll look at what happens during a comprehensive eye exam and how it differs from a routine eye exam.

Comprehensive vs. Routine

Both comprehensive and routine tests will test your visual accuracy using a standard eye chart. The eye doctor will test your eyes individually and together, checking to see not just whether you need corrective lenses but the precise prescription you’ll need if you do.

The difference is that the doctor at your comprehensive exams will perform additional testing, including pupil dilation. The more dilated your pupils are, the easier it is to check for abnormalities and potential risk factors. For instance, an optometrist in Champaign, IL, may be able to better determine whether you’re at early risk for glaucoma.

It’s worth noting that the doctor performing a routine eye exam will still look for eye disorders and diseases. However, the accuracy of their evaluation may be less reliable than during a routine eye exam. Ideally, you’ll have a comprehensive eye exam at least once by the time you’re 40 and more often after turning 60.

Eye Exams in Champaign, IL

Ideally, you should have an eye exam at least once a year, even if you haven’t noticed any changes to your visual health. If you’re looking for a doctor who can tell you more about which exam is right for you, contact the staff at Champaign Eye Professionals. From your family history to your eye health to your age, we can tell you more about when to spring for the whole nine yards.

Do I Need a Diabetic Eye Exam?

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If you struggle to control your blood sugar levels, you may want to schedule an appointment with youreye doctor in Champaign, IL. Diabetes is a disease that’s marked by high levels of sugar in the bloodstream. If uncontrolled, it can damage your vision in several ways.

How Does Diabetes Affect the Eyes? 

There are four different eye diseases linked to diabetes. They include:

  • Diabetic retinopathy
  • Macular edema
  • Glaucoma
  • Cataracts

Each can cause severe or total vision loss. Early intervention, combined with learning how to manage your diabetes effectively, is your best defense against diabetes-related eye conditions. This is why it’s so important to schedule a diabetic eye exam at least once a year if you struggle with diabetes.

What Happens During a Diabetic Eye Exam? 

During your diabetic eye exam, your vision specialist will use special eyedrops that cause your pupils to dilate. This is painless and noninvasive. However, it’s helpful to your ophthalmologist because it allows them to look deep into your eye, as far back as the retina, to see if unusual changes have occurred.

You may also undergo a glaucoma test during your eye exam because patients who have diabetes are at greater risk of developing glaucoma. Sometimes, the glaucoma test is as simple as subjecting your eye to a small puff of air. However, your eye doctor may also decide to do additional tests.

Who Should Have a Diabetic Eye Exam?

Anyone who has type 1, type 2, or gestational diabetes should have a diabetic eye exam. You may be even more at risk if you smoke, if you also have hypertension, or if you’re pregnant. To learn more about the diagnosis ofdiabetes-related eye conditions in Champaign, IL, call Champaign Eye Professionals today.

Young confident opthalmologist examining retina of mature female patient

When Should I Be Concerned About Flashes in My Eyes?

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Flashing lights in your eyes can happen for any number of reasons, and not all of them require any type of medical intervention. You should be concerned about the frequency and the types of flashing. Learn more about the potential culprits and how the right optometrist in Champaign, IL, can help you treat the issues.

Normal Vs. Abnormal

Your eye is held in a circular shape with the help of virtuous gel. Should that gel change at any point, which is a relatively normal occurrence, you may see either an eye flash or what’s known as a floater. Sometimes, the changes are due to conditions like near-sightedness or recent eye surgery. If the gel changes consistency over time, it will eventually start to separate from the retina. Again, this part is nothing to worry about.

The situation starts to get a little less straightforward when the gel doesn’t separate from the retina. This is more likely to happen when the gel is firmly attached to the side of the eyeball and, in the worst-case scenarios, may result in a tear in the retina if you’re experiencing a lot of flashing, particularly if the flashes look like intense brights spots or cosmic events (e.g., shooting stars, etc.). If you’re getting repeated flashes within a few seconds of each other, that could be a sign of a tear.

Treating Eye Flashes in Champaign

Eye flashes in Champaign, IL, may be the result of little more than the gel in your eye shifting around. However, if the intensity of frequency has been increasing, it might be time for a comprehensive eye exam. At Champaign Eye Professionals, our staff can help you determine the root cause so you can address it before any further damage occurs.

Ophthalmologist examining patient's eyes

3 Reasons to Schedule an Annual Eye Exam

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If your vision doesn’t noticeably change very often from year to year, you might understandably put off your annual exam. This is likely even more true if you tend to get the same report of clean health every year. However, there are reasons why doctors recommend it at least once a year, and it’s not because they’re trying to drum up business. Here are a few reminders of why it’s so important to take the precaution.

1. You Don’t Always Notice When Your Vision Changes

There are times when your vision can shift ever so slightly, and the change might not always register with you. For instance, you may see at -2.75 in your left eye in Jan, but a -3.0 by November. Your brain will learn to see at your current prescription, perhaps by having you squint ever so slightly, but the strain on your eyes will eventually catch up with you.

2. Eye Conditions Can Happen at Any Age

No matter how old you are, a routine eye exam in Champaign, IL will check your eyes for any number of eye diseases. While certain conditions, like cataracts, are more associated with the elderly population, you never want to assume that vision loss could never happen to you.

3. You Can Talk to a Professional

At Champaign Eye Professionals, we can tell you how critical it can be to make these appointments, if only because you set aside the time to talk to a professional about your vision. Even if you haven’t noticed anything wrong, you have the chance to learn more about what to expect as your eyes age. Plus, if you see the same eye doctor in Champaign, IL every year, they’re more likely to keep your eye health on track.

Haven’t Seen the Eye Doctor Recently? 3 Reasons to Make An Appointment

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It’s important to see your eye doctor in Champaign, IL if you have glasses or if you’re at risk for eye diseases. Seeing your eye doctor can help you keep your eyes healthy, and can also help you maintain good vision. Below are three good reasons to see your eye doctor if you haven’t had an appointment recently.

1. Your Eye Doctor Can Diagnose Eye Diseases

Your eye doctor can diagnose eye diseases when you get a comprehensive eye examination. During these examinations, your eye doctor will dilate your pupils to see far into the back of your eye. If you’re at risk for conditions like glaucoma or macular degeneration, or if you have a condition that puts you at higher risk for eye diseases (like diabetes) seeing the eye doctor on a regular basis is important.

2. Your Prescription May Have Changed

If you have eyeglasses, your prescription may change over time. Seeing the eye doctor will catch these changes, so you can update your corrective lens prescription. This helps ensure that you can see clearly when you’re engaging in activities like driving, riding a bike, reading, and so on. Being able to see clearly is important, and it can be a matter of safety as well. Your eye doctor can help ensure that you’re able to see when you need to.

3. It’s Fun to Get New Glasses

Any time you get a new corrective lens prescription, it’s a good chance to get new glasses. Getting new glasses can be fun, especially if you like to follow glasses trends or coordinate your glasses with your outfits.

Ready for an eye exam in Champaign, IL? Call your eye doctor to make an appointment. Call Champaign Eye Professionals today.

Young confident opthalmologist examining retina of mature female patient

How Often Should I See the Eye Doctor?

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If you have eyeglasses, go see the eye doctor every one to two years to get an updated prescription. However, if you don’t have eyeglasses, it may not be clear how often you should see the eye doctor. Knowing when to visit the eye doctor in Champaign, IL, can help you take care of your eyes. In this article, we’ll discuss the many factors to consider when trying to decide when it’s time to see the eye doctor.

Age Is a Factor

Children should see an eye doctor before they start kindergarten. During their eye exam, the eye doctor will check their eyes for conditions that could prevent them from seeing the whiteboard during lessons.

Adults should see an eye doctor at age 40 for an eye exam to find out if they have any conditions that could impact their vision. Adults over the age of 60 should see an eye doctor every one to two years to check for potential conditions that people in that age group are at risk for – conditions like glaucoma and cataracts.

At Risk People See the Eye Doctor More Often

Some people are at an elevated risk of contracting certain eye diseases. For example, people with diabetes are at higher risk of contracting glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. People who have diabetes may also get cataracts at a younger age.

If you have a condition that puts you at risk for any eye conditions, find out from your eye doctor how often you should go in for an eye examination in Champaign, IL. You should also see the eye doctor more often if you are taking a medication that puts you at risk or if you have a family history of genetic conditions (like glaucoma).

Call Today to Make An Appointment

Is it time for you to see the eye doctor? Call Champaign Eye Professionals to make an appointment.