When the optic nerve fibers die, permenant vision loss results. One of the most difficult problems faced by glaucoma patients is that of having to take medications which may have both ocular and systemic side effects to control a disease which is usually painless and has no symptoms. Eyedrops which help to open the drain and increase the rate of fluid flow out of the eye can be used to lower the pressure in the eye. If these drops are not effective, then surgical treatment can help. Some doctors use a laser for this.
Treatment is designed to keep the glaucoma from progressing and resulting in further vision loss.
There is no treatment for the actual disease itself. Macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness affecting more Americans than cataracts and glaucoma combined, for those aged 55 and older in the United States, affecting more than 10 million Americans. Macular degeneration is caused by the deterioration of the central portion of the retina, the inside back layer of the eye that records the images we see and sends them via the optic nerve from the eye to the brain. The retina's central portion, known as the macula, is responsible for focusing central vision in the eye, and it controls our ability to read, drive a car, recognize faces or colors, and see objects in fine detail. Although it's more common for people over 60, it is possible to develop symptoms in your 40's or 50's.