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Excerpt:
Which Is Worse: Cataracts or Glaucoma?Vision loss is a frightening prospect. Two of the most common, age-related eye conditions are cataracts and glaucoma. On the surface they may seem similar, but they behave very differently. Cataracts are the world’s leading cause of reversible blindness: the cloudy lens can be replaced with a clear one, usually restoring vision almost completely. By contrast, glaucoma silently destroys the optic nerve. Any nerve fiber lost to glaucoma is gone for good – no current treatment can undo that damage (). In fact, one analysis found that by the time a glaucoma patient notices vision problems, about 90% of the optic nerve fibers are already lost (). This basic fact – cataracts are nearly always fixable by surgery, whereas glaucoma causes irreversible vision loss – drives the entire comparison. Yet cataracts and glaucoma both become more common with age and often occur together, so understanding their differences matters for any patient. Cataracts globally cause far more total blindness simply because many regions lack surgery. For perspective, a WHO report notes that cataracts account for about 94 million cases of visual impairment worldwide, far exceeding the 7.7 million due to glaucoma (). Another study found nearly 45% of all global blindness was from cataract () – almost 15 million people – versus glaucoma as the second-leading cause (around 8 million blind) () (). Crucially, most cataract blindness is preventable with surgery, but glaucoma blindness is permanent. The one-two punch is that in high-income countries cataract surgery is routine and highly successful, whereas in poorer regions many people go blind simply because they cannot get an operation. So in total numbers cataracts are “worse” for global blindness, but for an individual patient glaucoma is more insidious. The bottom line: a cataract diagnosis alone is a problem you can usually fix, while glaucoma is a lifelong threat that can only be slowed, not cured. Regular eye exams to detect both conditions early are vitally important. How Cataracts and Glaucoma DevelopCataracts – Gradual Blurring and GlareA cataract is a clouding of the eye’s natural lens. It usually develops slowly over years as age and light exposure cause the lens proteins to clump. Patients typically notice a gradual decline in vision. The most common symptoms are central blurring and glare. For example, just looking at a simple table lamp or dashboard can become bothersome. Oncoming headlights at night may scatter or produce halos and starbursts, making night driving unsafe () (). Many cataract patients describe seeing the world as if through a foggy “frosted glass” (). Colors often look faded or yellowed – whites become creamy and vibrant hues lose their intensity (). In summary, cataract symptoms include:Blurry or cloudy vision: The lens looks foggy, causing overall blur () ().Glare and halos: Bright lights seem glaring or starbursted, especially at night () ().Faded colors: A yellowish tint can make colors look dull () ().Difficulty with reading/driving: Text may seem soft or ghosted, and night driving becomes noticeably harder.Double vision in one eye: Less common, but sometimes a second ghost image is seen through the cataract.Because cataracts worsen slowly, there is usually ample time to notice changes
