People often wonder if glaucoma, cataracts, or diabetic retinopathy aggravates macular degeneration or if macular degeneration aggravates any of them. The answer is no. AMD is not directly related to any other disease or eye condition to our knowledge. There is some evidence that cataract surgery might affect macular degeneration. To understand why glaucoma cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, and macular degeneration are unrelated, it may help to clarify how each of these conditions causes vision loss.
Cataracts occur when the lens on the front of your eyes clouds up. This opacity prevents images and light from entering your eye, sort of the same way sheer curtains block the view through a window. Unlike macular degeneration, cataracts do not affect the retina or the macula, Cataracts are caused by a number of things, but none of them are related to macular degeneration or its causes, Cataracts can usually be surgically removed and replace by new lenses.
Glaucoma is a condition of high pressure inside your eye that damages your optic nerve. Your eye is a closed, fluid-filled system. If too much fluid accumulates, pressure inside the eye rises, pushing on the optic nerve and gradually damaging the delicate fibers. If detected early, glaucoma is easily treatable in most people with prescription eye drops, laser, or surgery. If untreated or uncontrolled, glaucoma can cause peripheral vision loss and eventually complete blindness.
Diabetic retinopathy is a condition caused by diabetes in which the retina may become swollen and abnormal blood vessels may develop on the surface of the retina. These vessels can bleed or constrict and cause retinal detachment. Diabetic retinopathy can affect the entire retina, resulting in different degrees of vision loss. It is treatable with laser in most people if identified early enough. You cannot get diabetic retinopathy if you don not ha diabetes. People with diabetes have a higher incidence of glaucoma and cataracts but not of macular degeneration.
Glaucoma, Cataracts, and Diabetic Retinopathy affect the Eye differently from AMD. They are not related conditions.
0 Comments.