John Hopkins School of Medicine offers these tips:

• Choose a pair that blocks 99 percent of the sun's ultraviolet rays.
• Don't be fooled by price -- some cheaper pairs of sunglasses absorb UV light better than more expensive ones.
• Polarized lenses cut reflected glare, but don't block all of the UV light. Make sure the pair you pick offers enough UV protection.
• If you're going boating or skiing where you'll be in the sun for a long period of time, consider large-framed wraparound glasses.

The National Institute for Aging suggests these eye care tips:

• See your doctor regularly to check for diseases like diabetes, which could lead to eye problems if left untreated.
• Visit an eye specialist every one to two years. The doctor should use drops to dilate your pupils and test your eyesight, your glasses, your eye muscles and test you for glaucoma.
• If you have a family history of diabetes or eye disease, have an annual eye exam.

The institute says many causes of blindness in older adults can be prevented by visiting a qualified eye specialist every one or two years. By dilating your eyes, the specialist can check for the early stages of eye diseases such as glaucoma.

However, a doctor's recommendation carries the most weight in a person's decision about choosing a medical procedure, the survey says.

The telephone survey of 800 adult men and women revealed that 67 percent of them consider the Internet their preferred source of information about medical procedures. Only 33 percent said they consult their doctor for such information. However, 70 percent said it's their doctor's advice that influences their final decision about a medical procedure.

Other sources of information concerning medical procedures include: family, friends and other people who have had the procedure (39 percent); medical journals and books (32 percent); registered nurses or other health-care professionals (16 percent); public libraries, encyclopedias (16 percent); and magazines, newspapers and television (13 percent).

The survey also found that 62 percent of the respondents said they feel their decisions about health care in general are very well informed, and 76 percent said they do their own research when making a decision about a medical procedure.

Fifty-four percent of the respondents said they ask their doctors about their experience with medical procedures, and 39 percent said they ask their doctors about their credentials.

The academy recommends that when people are researching medical procedures, they ask their doctors about their experience and credentials. That includes asking how many of the procedures the doctor has performed, what kind of results can be expected, potential risks, cost, and where the doctor will perform the procedure.

More information