By the time a child is five or six, vision is usually at the normal adult level. Without prompt treatment of amblyopia, the weakened, unused eye will lose vision, possibly leading to a permanent reduction of sight. With treatment before the age of three, the prospect for gaining full vision in both eyes is excellent. Cataracts usually develop over a period of years. Cataracts in younger people, especially those with diabetes, may develop more rapidly.
Surgery is the only way an ophthalmologist can remove a cataract.
If the symptoms from a cataract are mild, a change of glasses may improve vision to an acceptable level. If surgery is required, improved vision is the result in nine out of ten cases. Most of those afflicted with AMD maintain a fair degree of useful vision, and even those with severe cases usually can see well enough to move around independently. AMD develops most often in people 65 and older, as the result of damage to the macula, the small portion of the retina that gives the sharp, straight-ahead vision needed for driving and reading small print. The typical result is blurred or distorted vision most noticeable when reading.