When samples of vacuum glazing are exposed to sunlight, the pressure within these devices is observed to increase. The major gas species released have been identified using mass spectroscopic techniques, and are found to be carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide rather than water vapor as in thermally degraded vacuum glazing. Different measuring techniques, including the use of a spinning rotor gauge, were developed to study the time dependence of pressure in samples of vacuum glazing during sunlight exposure. The mechanism associated with optical stability of vacuum glazing has been studied. High temperature baking during the evacuation stage of the manufacturing process for vacuum glazing greatly improves the stability of these devices under optical illumination. (C) 2003 American Vacuum Society