The key is to detect and treat them early by having regular eye exams. This is the progressive clouding of the eye s lens, which affects more than half of all people older than 65. The only effective way to cure cataracts is through surgery, which removes the cloudy lens and usually replaces it with an artificial lens implant made of silicone or acrylic. In glaucoma, the fluid that normally flows through the front section of the eye cannot drain properly. This causes the build-up of pressure, damage to the optic nerve, and finally vision loss.
Most people don t notice any symptoms until they begin to lose some vision.
Small blind spots may begin to develop, usually in the peripheral vision, and disease progression is gradual. Vision loss is usually preventable if glaucoma is detected early through painless testing. Macular degeneration is the most common cause of severe vision loss in people over 60. The dry form is usually not treated except for low-vision rehabilitation, which helps patients adjust to their condition. For the wet form, laser surgery can help.