An optometrist is an eye doctor who has earned a Doctor of Optometry (OD) degree after attending college and graduating from a 4-year professional program. They perform eye tests and vision tests and detect diseases, injuries, and disorders related to the eyes. Optometrists treat eye conditions, such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism, and prescribe eyeglasses and contacts. They may also provide low-vision aids and vision therapy.

Many of us stick with an old pair of glasses for years, especially if we think we can still see well with them.

Eye care professionals often recommend getting a new pair of glasses every one to three years as needed. Some people have to change their eyeglasses more often than do others. A variety of factors can affect how often you should get new eyewear.

Blurry vision is the most obvious sign that you need new glasses. Using an outdated prescription can make your eyes work harder to focus and this can lead to eyestrain, which can cause headaches. Vision changes typically happen very slowly, especially those associated with glaucoma, so you may not be aware that your vision has changed.

A woman’s hormone levels fluctuate throughout life, changing with puberty, pregnancy and menopause. These normal hormone changes, and hormone changes associated with certain health conditions, can affect mood, skin, and weight. Hormone changes can also affect a woman’s sight.

In a world where we are all wearing masks regularly now, simple things like wearing your glasses daily can become a bit more challenging. If you find that every time you put on your face mask your glasses get fogged up, you are not alone. The only thing worse than wearing a mask, is wearing a mask with glasses. So if you’ve been considering LASIK for a while, now is the perfect opportunity to get it done.

People are becoming increasingly aware of the effects of light pollution, especially as it relates to the health of their eyes. Many consumers are concerned about blue light emitted from electronic devices. In fact, many retailers offer blue light screen protectors that promise to shield eyes from the effects of blue light.

But is blue light really that harmful?

Taking good care of your eyes is important during childhood, of course, because that is when your eyes and your vision are developing. Proper eye care is essential to prevent age-related sight problems, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts, when you get older. But what about when you are in your 20s and 30s?

If you are like most young adults in this age range, your eyes are probably in good overall health – you might even have perfect 20/20 vision, with or without the use of eyeglasses or contact lenses. By taking the right steps to maintain good eye health, you may expect great eyesight for the next decade or longer.

The average American spends about seven hours a day on a computer, either at home or on the job. Especially during these uncertain times where many of us are working from home, we are spending more time than ever on our screens. Not only are we doing work on our screens, but we are also participating in meetings virtually, meeting with friends virtually, taking class virtually, and depending on our screens for entertainment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many worry about what all that screen time will do to their eyes.

Illinois Eye Center, along with the entire world, has faced some increasingly difficult decisions over the past two weeks — how to balance the well-being of our patients, our staff, and our community has been an enormous challenge. 

After careful deliberation, the following temporary changes have been put into place as of this writing and until further notice.

Held every March, Save Your Vision Month is a great opportunity to learn more about protecting your eye health.

Approximately 12 million people aged 40 and over have some form of vision impairment that prevents them from seeing as well as they should. About 1 million American adults are blind, and 3 million still have vision impairment even after correction with glasses, contacts, or other treatments. Another 8 million people have uncorrected refractive errors, such as nearsightedness (myopia) and farsightedness associated with age (presbyopia).

Choosing the right eye LASIK surgery center is the most important decision you will make during your LASIK journey. It is important that you feel comfortable with not only your surgeon, but also the LASIK center overall. Knowing that you are in good hands and that you made the right decision will give you peace of mind throughout your entire LASIK procedure.