When your vision begins to change, conditions like cataracts and glaucoma can be worrisome. Although both affect your eyesight, they vary greatly in symptoms, causes, and how they're treated. Understanding these distinctions is essential for proper treatment.
Understanding Cataracts
Cataracts happen when the lens of the eye becomes opaque, causing blurry vision and increased light sensitivity. Though often linked to aging, cataracts can also develop due to eye injuries, certain medications, or health conditions like diabetes.
Symptoms of cataracts typically include:
- Cloudy or blurry vision.
- Increased sensitivity to glare, especially at night.
- Colors appearing faded or dull.
- Difficulty seeing in low-light conditions.
Cataracts tend to develop over time and can be corrected through surgery, where the cloudy lens is replaced with an artificial one.
Understanding Glaucoma
In contrast to cataracts, glaucoma damages the optic nerve, often due to high intraocular pressure. It is more subtle and can result in permanent vision loss without early intervention.
Typical symptoms of glaucoma are:
- Gradual loss of peripheral (side) vision, often unnoticed at first.
- In advanced cases, tunnel vision.
- In rare acute cases, severe eye pain, nausea, and blurred vision.
Treatment for glaucoma generally involves eye drops, laser treatment, or surgery to reduce eye pressure and prevent further damage to the optic nerve.
How Cataracts and Glaucoma Differ
Both cataracts and glaucoma affect eyesight, but their causes, progression, and treatments are quite different.
| Feature | Cataracts | Glaucoma |
|---|---|---|
| Cause | Clouding of the eye's lens. | Damage to the optic nerve, often from high eye pressure. |
| How Vision Loss Occurs | Blurriness and glare sensitivity. | Peripheral vision loss progressing to tunnel vision. |
| How It’s Treated | Surgical replacement of the lens. | Medications, laser therapy, or surgery to reduce eye pressure. |
In summary, cataracts blur your vision, while glaucoma reduces your field of vision, possibly leading to blindness without treatment.
