Difference Between Glaucoma and Cataract

A cataract is a change in the lens of the eye; the result is cloudiness as light is prevented from entering the eye properly. Glaucoma is a condition where a buildup of pressure in the eye causes damage to the optic nerve which is the vital link of the eye to the brain which processes visual information.

1. Which is worse glaucoma or cataracts?
2. What are the symptoms of cataracts and glaucoma?
3. Can cataract turn into glaucoma?
4. Can you have both cataracts and glaucoma at the same time?
5. Can glaucoma be removed?
6. How long does glaucoma take to make you blind?
7. How do you get rid of cataracts without surgery?
8. At what stage should cataracts be removed?
9. What is the main cause of cataract?
10. What can be mistaken for glaucoma?
11. Does removing cataracts help glaucoma?
12. Is glaucoma worse than macular degeneration?

Which is worse glaucoma or cataracts?

Some people have both conditions, while others may only have one. But glaucoma isn't worse than cataracts, or vice versa — they are separate conditions triggered by different factors, each with varying levels of severity. Both eye conditions are treatable, however, especially if caught early.

What are the symptoms of cataracts and glaucoma?

What Are the Symptoms?

• Vision that's cloudy, blurry, foggy, or filmy.
• Nearsightedness (in older people)
• Changes in the way you see color.
• Problems driving at night (glare from oncoming headlights, for example)
• Problems with glare during the day.
• Double vision in the affected eye.

Can cataract turn into glaucoma?

Do Cataracts Cause Glaucoma? Cataracts do not cause glaucoma per se, although there are certain rare forms (outside the scope of this discussion) in which the cataract is the causative factor of elevated eye pressure and damage to the optic nerve.

Can you have both cataracts and glaucoma at the same time?

Cataracts may naturally coexist with glaucoma, have a causative effect on glaucoma, and/or may even be a result of glaucoma surgery. A cataract is a clouding of the lens inside the eye which leads to a decrease in vision.

Can glaucoma be removed?

Both cataracts and glaucoma can be treated surgically but unfortunately, the loss of vision caused by glaucoma cannot be reversed whereas it can be reversed with cataract surgery. When cataracts begin to have a detrimental impact on everyday life, it is time to have them surgically removed.

How long does glaucoma take to make you blind?

Glaucoma Timeline

Even with treatment, about 15 percent of the time glaucoma can lead to blindness in at least one eye over a period of 20 years. Fortunately, glaucoma typically progresses very slowly, over years. The progression of vision loss can be stunted, slowed, or even stopped with treatment.

How do you get rid of cataracts without surgery?

Lifestyle Changes Are Important and Can Slow the Progression of Cataracts

1. Quit smoking.
2. Drink alcohol in moderation, if at all.
3. Avoid other substances of abuse.
4. Ask your doctor about side effects of prescription medications so you can understand your risk of developing cataracts (such as with steroids).

At what stage should cataracts be removed?

Cataracts only need removal when they cause significant vision loss. How will you know that you are ready to undergo cataract surgery? The only way to tell for sure is to have an eye doctor track your progress.

What is the main cause of cataract?

Most cataracts develop when aging or injury changes the tissue that makes up your eye's lens. Some inherited genetic disorders that cause other health problems can increase your risk of cataracts. Cataracts can also be caused by other eye conditions, past eye surgery or medical conditions such as diabetes.

What can be mistaken for glaucoma?

In eyes with IOP in the normal range, some neurophthalmological disorders can mimic and be misdiagnosed as glaucoma. Among them, isquemic and compressive optic neuropathies were the most common conditions whose fundoscopic appearance resembled glaucomatous optic neuropathy.

Does removing cataracts help glaucoma?

For patients with mild glaucoma that is stable we might consider surgically removing the cataract and treating the glaucoma with pressure-lowering medications or laser treatments. Cataract surgery alone on an eye with glaucoma will sometimes lower the pressure in the eye.

Is glaucoma worse than macular degeneration?

The vision loss that may occur in glaucoma usually affects side vision, whereas macular degeneration tends to affect central vision. If both conditions arise, though not actively affecting each other, the visual impairment that may result will affect a larger area of vision than just glaucoma alone.