What is difference between glaucoma and cataracts?

What is difference between glaucoma and cataracts?

Glaucoma involves eye pressure and affects the optic nerve, whereas cataracts involve the breakdown of proteins and affect the lens. Cataracts are painless and happen over time, whereas glaucoma can be either slow and subtle or quick and painful, depending on the type of glaucoma and severity.

Which 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.

How are cataracts and glaucoma related to each other?

Glaucoma is the result of the buildup of fluid inside your eye. When eye fluid can’t drain properly, it puts pressure on the optic nerve. This can lead to permanent vision loss. Treatment is focused on reducing the fluid pressure in your eye. Cataracts are caused by an accumulation of protein in the lens of your eye.

How is cataract surgery used to treat 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.

When to know if you have cataract or glaucoma?

Sadly, most people notice glaucoma symptoms when the disease has progressed and they have irreversible vision loss. Cataract symptoms develop slowly, but over time, they start to impact vision. Let’s look at some key differences of glaucoma vs. cataract.

What causes a person to get cataract in the eye?

When it comes to cataract causes, we have to think about the aging process. The lens in our eyes is made up of water and protein that helps us to see clearly, but when protein clumps together the clump can grow over time, clouding vision.

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