You may already know that scheduling comprehensive eye exams each year with an ophthalmologist near Chicago is an effective way to protect your healthy vision. But did you know that sports, workplace hazards, and yard work are the leading causes of eye injuries? Talk to your ophthalmologist about preventive eye care. He or she is likely to recommend that you wear safety glasses that offer side protection to reduce your risk of vision loss due to eye injuries.

For more helpful tips on protecting your vision, watch this video and consult an ophthalmologist. This expert discusses why you can’t rely on regular eyeglasses to protect your eyes from injuries caused by airborne yard debris, chemicals, or blunt force trauma.

Laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) is a type of eye surgery that corrects refractive errors, such as nearsightedness and farsightedness. It can also be used to correct astigmatism and presbyopia. LASIK is the most popular type of refractive surgery in the U.S., with good reason. It offers freedom from corrective lenses, it has an exceptional safety record, and it only requires a minimal recovery period. To find out if having laser eye surgery near Chicago might be a good choice for you, consult an ophthalmologist.

Permanent Vision Correction

One of the most common reasons why people have LASIK eye surgery is that it reduces or eliminates their dependence on eyeglasses and contact lenses. LASIK can correct your vision by creating a very small flap in the cornea with a precisely focused laser. Then, the excimer laser reshapes the cornea. A properly shaped cornea can focus light on the retina precisely, which eliminates refractive errors such as nearsightedness and farsightedness. The excimer laser is capable of reshaping the living tissue of your corneal cells without causing damage such as scar tissue.

Superior Patient Safety

If you’ve been delaying talking to an eye doctor about LASIK surgery because of safety concerns, you can rest assured that the low rate of complications makes LASIK surgery one of the safest procedures available. In fact, LASIK surgery may actually help protect your vision. Since you won’t need to put in contact lenses every day, you’ll have a lower risk of eye infections.

Fast Procedure

Another reason to consider having LASIK is that it won’t take up too much of your time. After your consultation with the ophthalmologist to determine if you’re a good candidate, the procedure itself takes less than 30 minutes—and much of that time is spent on preparations. The laser takes less than a minute per eye to correct refractive errors.

Minimal Recovery

Immediately after having LASIK surgery, it’s advisable to rest for several hours with your eyes closed. You can take a nap while wearing plastic shields to protect your eyes. Patients typically rest for a day or two, after which they can return to most activities. However, it’s important to protect the eyes from irritants for a while. Compared to most surgical procedures, the recovery for LASIK is quite minimal.

The only effective treatment for cataracts is to undergo cataract surgery . However, not everyone needs cataract surgery right away. If you’ve been diagnosed with this eye condition, you can consult a cataract surgeon serving Chicago for personalized recommendations. The cataract surgeon may inform you that you do not necessarily need surgery right away if the cataract is not interfering with your daily activities or causing blurry vision. Some individuals only undergo surgery when their cataracts cause problems with reading, driving, or other activities.

However, if you do have the option of waiting to have surgery, you should be aware of the potential risks associated with letting a cataract go untreated. For example, some cataracts that are left untreated for long periods of time can cause inflammation or increased eye pressure, which can contribute to glaucoma. Previously, cataract surgeons could only perform surgery when the cataract was already in an advanced stage of development. As a cataract develops, it becomes harder. Thanks to modern eye surgery technology, ophthalmologists can now remove cataracts when they are at any stage of development.

Did you know that July has been designated as Fireworks Eye Safety Month? Annually, thousands of people suffer from injuries caused by fireworks during June and July, over a thousand of which involve eye injuries. A significant percentage of affected individuals are children and teens. Since fireworks can cause irreversible blindness, an ophthalmologist near Chicago may recommend that patients avoid fireworks displays altogether. If you do decide to view fireworks displays or to use legal consumer fireworks at home, you can ask your eye doctor for some eye care tips to protect your vision.

Understanding the Risks

Before attending a fireworks display, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the potential risks. Many people assume that the individuals who are handling the fireworks are at the highest risk of injury. It’s true that many of the injuries caused by fireworks involve the hands and fingers. However, roughly half of all fireworks injuries are sustained by bystanders . Fireworks can cause eye injuries such as ruptured eyeballs, optic nerve damage, retinal detachment, and thermal burns to the eye. They can also cause severe lacerations and abrasions.

Protecting Yourself as a Bystander

If you choose to enjoy summer fireworks displays, only attend authorized public displays that are conducted by individuals with the proper licensing. Stay behind the safety barriers, which should be placed at least 500 feet away from the fireworks. If you come across any unexploded fireworks, never try to pick them up. Instead, maintain a safe distance and contact your local fire or police department.

Using Consumer Fireworks Safely

Consumer fireworks are particularly dangerous, which is why many states and municipalities have made them illegal. If you do choose to purchase consumer fireworks, make sure they are legal in your area. Your eye doctor would also advise you to never give fireworks, including sparklers, to children. Sparklers can burn at up to 2,000 degrees. Those who handle fireworks and any individuals who are viewing the fireworks must wear protective eyewear at all times.

Responding to Fireworks Eye Injuries

Despite following these safety tips, serious eye injuries may still occur. It’s critical to get immediate medical help. While waiting for emergency responders to arrive, avoid rubbing the eye, applying pressure, applying ointments, rinsing the eye, or removing any embedded objects. Additionally, avoid taking pain relievers such as ibuprofen or aspirin.

Many people underestimate the importance of having regular examinations at an optical center in Chicago. This is unfortunate because an ophthalmologist can do much more than provide an accurate prescription for corrective lenses. An ophthalmologist can also look for the early warning signs of vision problems such as cataracts, which refer to cloudiness on the lens of the eye. Cataracts are among the most common causes of vision impairment. If you’ve already been diagnosed with cataracts, you can talk to an ophthalmologist about cataract treatment .

Symptoms

You may not necessarily notice symptoms of cataracts until they have progressed. Cataracts develop slowly over time. As they develop, you might begin to notice symptoms such as foggy, filmy, blurry, or cloudy vision. Double vision, progressive nearsightedness, and difficulty coping with glare during the day are other indicators of cataracts. You may also have difficulty with glare at night, such as glare from the headlights of oncoming vehicles. You might suddenly need a stronger prescription for your corrective lenses and you may notice that you begin to perceive colors differently.

Causes

Cataracts develop when the lens of the eye develops an accumulation of proteins. These proteins cause the cloudiness that prevents the lens from properly focusing light on the retina, which is the back of the eye. This causes vision impairment. There are different underlying causes that may contribute to the accumulation of proteins. Ophthalmologists classify different types of cataracts according to their underlying causes.

Types

For example, a patient might be diagnosed with an age-related cataract, which occurs as a result of changes during the aging process. Cataracts are quite common among adults aged 65 and older. However, it is possible for babies to be diagnosed with congenital cataracts, which are present at birth. Congenital cataracts can develop as a result of poor fetal development, or an injury or infection that affected the fetus. Some people are diagnosed with traumatic cataracts. As the name implies, these develop after an eye injury. Secondary cataracts are caused by certain medical conditions. These can include diabetes, exposure to ultraviolet light, exposure to radiation, or exposure to toxic substances. Some medications can also cause secondary cataracts, including diuretics and corticosteroids.

For patients who have diabetes, visiting an ophthalmologist near Chicago for regular exams is particularly important. This is because diabetes places patients at risk of many serious complications, including diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy is characterized by damage to the tiny blood vessels located in the retina. When a patient is in the early stages of diabetic retinopathy, an ophthalmologist will see very small areas of swelling in the blood vessels, which is subsequently followed by blockage of some of the blood vessels.

As the disease progresses, additional blood vessels develop blockages, which means the retina no longer receives enough blood. Subsequently, the retina instructs the brain to grow new blood vessels, which is known as proliferative retinopathy. Unfortunately, these new blood vessels are quite fragile and can leak blood. As a result, vision loss occurs. Vision loss caused by diabetic retinopathy can also occur when fluid leaks into the macula, causing vision to become blurry. Individuals with diabetes should visit an optical center to have a dilated eye exam at least once per year. An ophthalmologist can provide early treatment for diabetic retinopathy, which may help prevent vision loss.

In recognition of UV Awareness Month this May, take a few minutes to learn about the damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation on your eye health. Excessive exposure to sunlight can cause both short-term and long-term problems, which is why a critical part of your eye care routine should be to wear UV-blocking sunglasses outdoors. If you wear corrective lenses, you can talk to your ophthalmologist near Chicago about getting prescription sunglasses. Your ophthalmologist can also give you some tips for preventing damage due to UV exposure.

Photokeratitis

Photokeratitis is one of the short-term problems that can occur with excessive UV exposure. This condition is often compared to being similar to sunburn of the eyes. The symptoms of photokeratitis can include a gritty feeling in the eyes, excessive tearing, red eyes, and sensitivity to light. Usually, photokeratitis is temporary.

Growths

Individuals who spend a great deal of time outdoors without proper protection for their eyes may develop growths on the eye. An ophthalmologist will diagnose a patient with pinguecula if he or she has a bump or patch near the cornea. This patch appears yellowish. It develops due to tissue changes, such as the accumulation of calcium, fat, and protein. It is believed that this growth is linked to excessive UV exposure. Often, individuals with pinguecula will develop a pterygium, which is fleshy tissue that begins to develop on the white of the eye and can gradually spread to the cornea. A pterygium can become large enough to cause vision impairment.

Cataracts

With excessive UV exposure, individuals may have a higher risk of developing cataracts . Cataracts are areas of cloudiness on the lens of the eye. They interfere with the ability of the lens to focus light on the retina properly. Subsequently, vision becomes dim, blurry, or cloudy. Cataracts gradually become worse over time. By visiting an ophthalmologist for annual eye exams, patients can facilitate the early detection of cataracts. Fortunately, this serious vision problem is treatable with cataract surgery.

A cataract surgeon serving Chicago can conduct a comprehensive eye examination to diagnose cataracts . First, the cataract surgeon will review your medical history and ask you about your symptoms. You can expect to have a refraction and visual acuity test, during which you’ll be asked to cover one eye, then the other, while reading rows of letters of various sizes. The ophthalmologist will likely perform a slit-lamp exam, which enables him or her to assess your corneas, iris, and lens. The slit-lamp exam allows your ophthalmologist to look for very small abnormalities in these structures.

Another test for the diagnosis of cataracts is a retinal examination. Your ophthalmologist will administer special eye drops to each eye. These eye drops will dilate your pupils, or make them larger, which allows the eye doctor to evaluate your retina. You’ll need to wait for a few minutes for the eye drops to work. Then, your ophthalmologist will use a slit-lamp or an ophthalmoscope to check for signs of a cataract.

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