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.
What You Need to Know About Cataracts
When the lens of the eye clouds over, it causes blurry vision and light sensitivity—this is known as a cataract. While most common in older adults, cataracts can also form as a result of injuries, long-term steroid use, or diseases like diabetes.
Signs of cataracts often 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.
What You Should Know About Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a condition that affects the optic nerve, usually caused by increased eye pressure. Unlike cataracts, it can silently progress, potentially leading to irreversible vision loss if not treated.
Common symptoms of glaucoma include:
- 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
Cataracts and glaucoma both impact your vision, but their development and treatment paths are distinct. Here’s how they compare:
| Feature | Cataracts | Glaucoma |
|---|---|---|
| Cause of Condition | 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.
