Why wait for warmer weather? Sun protection is needed all year round, which is why you need to protect your eyes from the sun’s harmful UV rays, even in the snow! Learn all the reasons why you should wear your sunglasses every time you’re outside this winter.

With thousands of eye injuries each year directly related to sports injuries, it is important to take all precautionary measures to protect your eyes when hitting the field, court, or gym.

Once upon a time, glasses were strictly functional — and many of us have the old-school photos to prove it! But today, eyewear is at the forefront of fashion, with major designers creating incredible styles worn by everyone from A-list celebrities to people just like you. We created the Illinois Eye Center Optical Boutique to give our clients the best eyewear options possible, so you can look and feel fantastic each and every day.

When we send our kids off to play football, we make sure their helmet is on tight and their pads are firmly in place. No soccer enthusiast is on the field without his or her shin guards, and a hockey game without a face mask is practically unheard of. Why is it, then, that we’re so lax about providing our children – and, when necessary, ourselves – with the appropriate protective eyewear? 

When the leaves start falling and the air gets crisper, you know Halloween season is quickly approaching. It’s time to celebrate with pumpkin carvings, costumes, and trick-or-treating with loved ones. However, some costumes can inadvertently lead to scary eye problems if precautions aren’t taken. While you want to enjoy a frighteningly fun Halloween, you don’t want it to be damaging to your eye health.

By adhering to these four Halloween eye safety tips, you’ll be able to fully enjoy your spooky traditions eye-injury free!

LASIK (laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis) is an amazing procedure, but not many people know exactly how it works. The colloquial term “Laser Eye Surgery” can summon intimidating images for someone who doesn’t know what to expect during a procedure. Of course, everyone wonders whether or not LASIK surgery is painful, how long it takes to recover from LASIK, or simply how long the procedure takes. If you’re considering LASIK at Illinois Eye Center, this is a walk through of the day-of your LASIK procedure.

Most people are familiar with pink eye – the bloodshot eyes, the itchy eyelids, gunk on your lashes – but not many people know exactly how contagious pink eye really is. Most pink eye cases are caused by viruses that can’t be medically treated. That means it spreads extremely easily and quickly. Whether you, your child, or someone you know has pink eye, it’s important to take steps to avoid its spread. 

Of course you’ve heard people talk about LASIK eye surgery. Maybe even a friend or family member has recommended it to you. So, how long have you been wearing eyeglasses? Do you need glasses just to read this post? How about when driving, playing sports, or swimming? How many times a day do you notice little spots and smudges on your lenses? Ever broken your frames and had to spend time and money on a replacement pair? Let’s rephrase all of that: are you sick and tired of wearing glasses?

Astigmatism is a vision condition caused by refractive error, similar to nearsightedness and farsightedness. An eye with astigmatism isn’t diseased or unhealthy; it simply has trouble focusing light. It’s more common than you’d think as well: about one in three people suffer from this condition. People with astigmatism no longer need to depend on corrective lenses—astigmatism can often be treated with LASIK.

At Illinois Eye Center in Peoria, you’ll find a wide variety of eye care professionals and specialists – so many that you may not be able to tell who does what. If you’ve ever been confused about who performs optical surgeries and who customizes prescription lenses, you’re in luck. This blog post will cover the several different types of eye care professionals working at Illinois Eye Center, so you’ll know exactly who you’ll be seeing during your next appointment.