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. A new treatment called photodynamic therapy, involving the injection of a drug called visudyne along with a laser procedure is now helping some patients. High blood sugar, prolonged over time, can cause a condition called diabetic retinopathy, or damage to the blood vessels in the eye s retina.