Who is at highest risk for glaucoma and the importance of annual eye exams in diagnosing and treating the disorder.

Q. What is glaucoma, and how many people does it affect?
A. Glaucoma is a vision-threatening eye disorder that usually occurs when excessive pressure inside the eye damages the retina, optic nerve or both. Glaucoma affects 3 million Americans, and about 120,000 are legally blind because of it. Left untreated, glaucoma can lead to blindness in three to 15 years, depending on its severity. Read more

Considered by many to be little more than fashion accessories, sunglasses actually are essential in protecting your eyes year round from dangerous ultraviolet (UV) rays.

“Sunglasses used to be more about looking stylish than about taking care of your vision, but not anymore,” says VSP network provider Stephen Cohen, O.D., of Scottsdale, Ariz. Read more

Annual Exams Are Key to Healthy Eyes  Three little words are enough to describe what’s needed for good eye health: annual eye exam.

“I’ve been providing eye exams for more than 12 years now,” says the optometrist from Norfolk, Virginia. “During that time, I’ve diagnosed four different tumors and several cases of diabetes in patients who didn’t even know they had a health problem. Read more