If you are like many people considering LASIK to improve your vision, you might wonder if there is a cost for a LASIK consultation. You will be glad to know that, at Illinois Eye Center, LASIK consultations are free!

Consulting with an eye surgeon is the first step in getting LASIK, and it is one of the most important. The two main goals of a consultation is to gather information that helps your eye doctor determine if you are a good candidate for the laser vision correction procedure and to provide you with the information you need to make an informed decision about undergoing LASIK.

You may know that it is important to wear sunglasses in the summer to protect your eyes, but do you know why? The answer has to do with exposure to the ultraviolet (UV) rays in sunlight.

Light radiates from the sun in waves. Like ocean waves, light waves have a measurable length, height, and duration or frequency. Scientists measure light wavelengths in nanometers (nm).  The various wavelengths of light cause the light to act in different ways. Visible light has wavelengths between 400 and 700 nm. UV light has a wavelength range of 100 to 400 nm. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the shorter the wavelength, the more harmful the radiation.

Quick: someone has something wrong with their eye. Do you know what to do?

Eye emergencies can be very scary. You want to avoid a needless trip to the doctor but failing to treat some types of eye emergencies could cost someone their vision. Familiarize yourself with the following situations to know what to do in the event of an eye emergency.

Types of Eye Emergencies

Traumatic eye injury/accident

Accidents and eye injuries are common causes of eye emergencies. Accidents typically involve having a foreign object enter the eye, but blunt-force trauma and burns can occur, too.

Online eye exams are convenient, but are they a good replacement for a comprehensive eye exam by an ophthalmologist or optometrist? Definitely not!

The internet has made life considerably easier, as it is now possible to do everything from ordering a pizza to refilling a prescription online. The ideas of getting an eyeglass prescription or buying glasses without a trip to the eye doctor sound appealing, but before you ditch the traditional eye exam, you should know that the convenience of online exams may not outweigh the benefits of a comprehensive eye exam.

Do you ever wonder if you are a good candidate for LASIK vision correction?  Finding out is easier than ever with the LASIK Candidate Quiz from Illinois Eye Center.

LASIK vision correction procedures have helped millions of patients see more clearly, without the use of glasses or contacts. The procedure is highly effective, with 99 percent of patients achieving better than 20/40 vision and more than 90 percent achieving 20/20 or better. LASIK has a good record and complications are rare, so most people are satisfied with the results.

You may already know that BOTOX® is a great way to get rid of wrinkles, but did you know it also treats certain medical problems?

In its earliest days, long before they began using it for cosmetic purposes, doctors used BOTOX® to treat abnormal spasms of the eyelid, known as blepharospasm. The condition causes uncontrollable frequent eye blinking and closing of the eyes, which makes it very difficult to see. Treatment with the active ingredient in BOTOX®, botulinum toxin type A, stops the excessive blinking.

Did you know that certain habits can affect your vision? It’s true! Some bad habits, such as smoking and a sedentary lifestyle, can lead to eye disease and vision loss; while many good habits can prevent these diseases and keep your eyes in top shape.

Eye health is important in every workplace – even in home offices, where many workers now spend their days during the COVID-19 pandemic. Each day, about 2,000 workers in the United States suffer a job-related eye injury that requires medical care. More than 100 of these injuries result in one or more days away from work. Some of these injuries can cause serious damage to the eye with the potential to cause temporary or even permanent eye damage.

Ah, spring is in the air! What could be better than seeing the tulips blooming in a spring rain? Being able to see the flowers without the hassle of rain all over your glasses, of course!

You spent the entire winter struggling with glasses that would fog up every time you stepped inside from the cold. And, remember last summer when you had to take off your glasses to play sports or garden because you were afraid of breaking them? Now that spring is here, isn’t it time to get rid of your glasses and finally get a clear view of the world? You bet it is, and Illinois Eye Center is here to help by offering you a great deal on LASIK.

Some eye conditions come about so slowly that patients can wait a week or two to visit their eye doctors. Acute eye conditions, on the other hand, need attention the same day.

Acute eye conditions are those that come on suddenly. They can include eye injuries, such as scratches to the surface of the eye, a foreign body in the eye, or a chemical injury. Other acute eye conditions may include infections and extreme symptoms of eye allergies.