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.

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.

Many say that your eyes are the window to your soul, but they also provide a glimpse into your overall health.

What Your Eyes Say about Your Health

Red, itchy, teary eyes
Red, teary eyes that itch all of the time are a sure sign of allergies to pollen, animal fur, dust mites, makeup, or eye drops.  

White spots on the front of your eye
White spots on the clear layer over the front of your eye, known as the cornea, could be a sign of corneal infection. This is especially true if you wear contacts.

The reviews are in – Illinois Eye Center’s new trifocal intraocular lens (IOL) implant are well liked by patients!

IOL implants are artificial lenses that are implanted during cataract surgery after the eye’s natural lens is removed. Illinois Eye Center already offers several types of IOLs, ranging from the basic monofocal lens that delivers clear distance vision without glasses to sophisticated toric lens implants that correct astigmatism. They have recently introduced the newest technically advanced trifocal IOLs that help you see close-up, intermediate, and faraway objects clearly.

One of the best ways to make this a Happy New Year is to take better care of your eyes. While it is not a common resolution, improving your eye health is always a worthwhile goal. Here are four resolutions you can make for healthier eyes in the next year.

If you have a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) or Healthcare Spending Account (HSA), you probably already know that they are convenient and can save you money in taxes. You also likely know that they may expire and that you might forfeit any money you don’t use at the end of the year. So what is the best way to spend your hard-earned dollars before the end of the year? On eye care, of course!

At EyeCareToday, our Peoria eye doctors answer a wide variety of questions, both about eye care and about our office. Here are a few of the most commonly asked questions and their answers.

Frequently Asked Questions about EyeCareToday

What is EyeCareToday?

EyeCareToday provides same-day access to eye care for patients who are ages 5 years and up that have acute/urgent eye care or routine vision exams.

Finding the perfect frame usually involves trying on several different pairs of glasses, but traveling to an eye center can sometimes be a hassle. Fortunately, technology steps in to save the day with Illinois Eye Center’s new Virtual Try-on.

Virtual Try-On lets you see how you would look in different eyeglasses frames, and is as easy as looking in a mirror. Illinois Eye Center offers two try-on options that allow you to “try on” glasses from the comfort and convenience of your own home.

At the end of a long day on the farm, Aaron likes to look out over the fields to see what he has accomplished. To appreciate the view fully, though, Aaron relies on contacts for sharper vision.

Like many of us, Aaron never liked wearing glasses, even as a kid. He was an active young man who likes to play golf and other sports; glasses always seemed to get in the way. Fortunately, his parents agreed to let him try contacts while he was in high school. Contacts never posed a problem for Aaron, so he ditched his glasses almost completely for several years.

You might be surprised to learn that some little habits can have a big impact on the health of your eyes. In fact, some habits can contribute to discomfort, pain, and even vision loss. Identifying these bad habits – and making an effort to break them – can help save your vision.