Glaucoma and cataracts are two different diseases:
Cataracts
The lens in the eye becomes cloudy, resulting in blurred vision, as if you were looking through a fog. This disease is particularly common in old age and can only be treated by an operation to replace the clouded lens with an artificial lens.
Glaucoma
Also known colloquially as “glaucoma”. This involves damage to the optic nerve, often associated with high eye pressure. Early treatment is crucial in order to preserve vision. There is often a disturbance in the outflow of aqueous humour. This can be congenital, age-related or caused by chronic inflammation.
Eye pressure is the decisive factor that we can influence in the treatment of glaucoma.
Imagine this as a drainage problem in a sink. In most cases, age-related changes lead to such drainage problems in the eye.
This can lead to increased eye pressure and damage the optic nerve in some patients.
On this website you will find more information on how we can reduce eye pressure in the treatment of glaucoma.
Basically, we either try to reduce the inflow of fluid with medication or improve the outflow with medication such as eye drops or eye surgery.
