Diabetes
VSP is a proud national strategic partner of the American Diabetes Association.
Together, we are pleased to bring you a wealth of information and resources to help you learn about and live with diabetes.
Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetes is bad enough to have to deal with, but it can also damage vision over time, from diabetic retinopathy. That’s just one reason regular visits to the eye doctor are a must for diabetics.
Video
Diabetic retinopathy overview (01:21)
Ddiabetic retinopathy (non-proliferative) overview (00:38)
Diabetic retinopathy (proliferative) overview (00:47)
Macular edema overview (00:50)
Diabetic retinopathy treatment (01:31)
Eye doctors can easily be the first to see signs of diabetes – through their patients’ eyes. In this case, the patient had no idea she had the disease, until her optometrist spotted it during a routine eye exam.
When a 50-something woman went in for her annual eye exam, her attentive doctor noticed signs of something more than a need for new glasses. Esther was pre-diabetic.
Before getting diagnosed with diabetes, people with type 2 diabetes usually have pre-diabetes. This is when blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to have diabetes. Like diabetes, having pre-diabetes can carry a price tag on vision.
Medical advances continue in all areas of healthcare, and that includes vision and eye health. An eyecare expert shares some of the new treatments making headway against three of the biggest blindness-causing conditions.
Eye Exams
Although it's called an exam, a careful check of your eyes and vision shouldn’t cause memories of testing nightmares from school. Here’s a quick primer on what to expect at your all-important annual eye exam.
Video
Eye exam overview (01:35)
Dilation overview (00:55)
Hyperopia overview (00:30)
Myopia overview (00:26)
Refractive error overview (00:41)
Sometimes, we experience an eye-related symptom that's actually a sign of a problem not related to the eyes at all. Find out which ones could signal a serious condition or disease.
Your one pair of eyes deserves a very important thing each and every year: a complete exam. Why? In addition to helping you see your best, it can allow your doctor to spot signs of serious health conditions.
Infants
Did you know that children should have their first eye exam before they can even walk? That’s right, babies should have their eyes checked at a mere 6-months of age. Experts share why.
Children
Who likes to go to the doctor? Your child might actually look forward to their eye appointment – if you do your homework.
Seniors
With age comes more conditions – visual and otherwise – to keep tabs on. All it takes is a simple annual exam to do just that. An eyecare doctor shares info about some of the conditions most often caught and treated in annual checkups.
Seniors are finding more and more procedures and products to help them see their way to the best retirement years possible.
Sharing personal health and lifestyle information with your eye doctor may not seem necessary, but you’ll get better results, and exams, if you’re open and honest.
Eye Safety
The old adage, “you don’t know what you have until it’s gone,” could easily apply to vision. Eyesight is often taken for granted. An eye expert shares why that’s a mistake.
Potential eye hazards lurk in many workplaces. Find out the main ones to avoid.
Most workplace injuries happen where safety eyewear isn't required. Find out how to protect your eyes and what to do if an injury occurs.
It's hard to be indoors when warm weather beckons. But before heading out, make sure you follow these tips for protecting your eyes.
Children
Tots love toys, but not all playthings are created equal when it comes to eye safety.
There’s a space age plastic that can be found in everything from astronaut helmet shields to children’s glasses. If you haven’t heard about polycarbonate lenses, read up here.
If it's smoky outside, it's likely your eyes are feeling it. Here are some tips to protect yourself.
Eyewear
Children
Over one in five school-age kids have vision problems. A children’s eyecare specialist gives the low-down on what to look for – and what to do.
Kids don’t always want to wear specs, but there are techniques that can help get them interested.
In a recent study, 82% of parents protect their kids with sunscreen. Just 32% outfit them with sunglasses. An eye doctor in the know shares why that’s so concerning – and needs to change.
Seniors
Seniors are finding more and more procedures and products to help them see their way to the best retirement years possible.
Choosing the perfect eyewear shouldn’t be a guessing game. With some helpful guidelines and help from your doctor and his or her team, you can find the perfect pair for you.
Adjusting to new eyewear shouldn’t be hard. Whether you’re getting new glasses or contacts, a few quick tips can help make the transition a snap.
Photochromic lenses change from clear to dark based on the intensity of UV radiation.
Just like with other medications, prescription glasses are developed just for you and your unique vision needs.
Follow one simple rule for years of optimum performance from your glasses.
Follow one simple rule for years of optimum performance from your glasses.
If you spend a lot of time outdoors or driving in the car, and still need vision correction, prescription sunglasses are perfect for soothing your eyes.
Many common vision conditions are correctable with a professional eyecare and a prescription for corrective lenses.
Lens treatments or options can make a real difference in what you see, and what you don’t. Scratches, glare, ultraviolet rays—all are potential hazards to healthy sight that can be minimized or eliminated by selecting the right lens treatment.
An anti-reflective treatment applied on the front and the back of prescription lenses can greatly reduce the light reflected by the lens surfaces.
Many of today’s lens products have hard scratch-resistant protection built into the lens—a hard surface treatment that is specifically designed to resist scratches. But it’s not an automatic feature!
UV protection is critical to eye health. Eye exposure to ultraviolet rays can cause damage your eyes. Over time, UV can contribute to serious age-related eye conditions or diseases.
Prescription lenses can be customized to meet your unique lifestyle and vision correction needs.
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Content provided by Transitions Optical, Inc.
Sometimes our vision fails us at two or even three distinct distances, especially as we age. Bifocal lenses—lenses with two distinct viewing areas—have traditionally been a reliable solution to such a dilemma.
A progressive lens is an amazing piece of engineering, allowing multiple vision fields to be incorporated into a single lens without any clear distinction between the fields themselves. This is why progressive lenses are often referred to as “no-line” bifocals or trifocals.
The annoying and age-related phenomenon of presbyopia has gotten a lot more tolerable – and fashionable – with advances in progressive lenses. Learn the facts.
Video
Progressive lenses overview (01:23)
A high-index lens is a lens that has a higher "index" of refraction. This means it has a greater ability to bend light rays to provide clear vision for people with stronger prescriptions.
Photochromic lenses are special eyeglass lenses that change from clear to dark when exposed to ultraviolet rays.
Sunglasses do double duty: as a fashion statement and a way to help keep your eyes – and eyesight – healthy as you age. That’s because just like your skin, your eyes need protection from the sun.
Video
Polarization overview (01:13)
Sunglass lenses overview (02:27)
* Content provided by Transitions Optical, Inc.
Sunglasses
If you spend a lot of time outdoors or driving in the car, and still need vision correction, prescription sunglasses are perfect for soothing your eyes.
Video
Polarization overview (01:13)
In a recent study, 82% of parents protect their kids with sunscreen. Just 32% outfit them with sunglasses. An eye doctor in the know shares why that’s so concerning – and needs to change.
Sunglasses do double duty: as a fashion statement and a way to help keep your eyes – and eyesight – healthy as you age. That’s because just like your skin, your eyes need protection from the sun.
Video
Sunglass lenses overview (02:27)
UV protection is critical to eye health. Eye exposure to ultraviolet rays can cause damage your eyes. Over time, UV can contribute to serious age-related eye conditions or diseases.
* Content provided by Transitions Optical, Inc.
Laser Vision Correction
Laser vision correction helps over a million Americans every year say goodbye to their glasses or contacts. An expert shares some facts about the various procedures and some things to consider when figuring out if laser vision correction is for you.
Video
Refractive surgery overview (01:02)
Good candidates for refractive surgery (00:43)
Seniors
Seniors are finding more and more procedures and products to help them see their way to the best retirement years possible.
Tiger was a -11 prior to his LASIK surgery, which is in the worst one percent of those with nearsightedness. Prior to LASIK surgery, without his glasses or contacts, he would not have even been able to see the ball on the tee.
