Glaucoma Vs Cataracts: Know The Difference

Have you ever wondered why your vision seems a bit off? It could be more than just needing a new pair of glasses. From irritation, redness, and swelling to serious ailments like glaucoma and cataracts, routine checkups can help detect and diagnose the issues early. Problems like glaucoma and cataracts are the leading causes of vision loss. 

Through this blog, we aim to educate you on the difference between cataracts and glaucoma with clear insights into both conditions.

A] What Is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a condition that affects your optic nerve, the nerve that connects the eye to the brain. It is caused by fluid build-up (aqueous humor), leading to excessively high pressure (intra-ocular pressure [IOP]) inside your eye.  

This condition is progressive and may lead to blindness if not treated properly. Unlike cataracts, glaucoma leads to irreversible vision loss. Glaucoma is usually of four types and is explained as follows:

• Open Angle Glaucoma- The fluid doesn’t drain properly, leading to high pressure in the eyes and damage to the optic nerve

• Secondary Glaucoma- Resulting from surgery, infection, injury, or eye abnormalities

• Angle-Closure Glaucoma- When the internal drainage channels are closed causing fluid build-up and high IOP.

• Normal-Tension Glaucoma- Increased pressure inside the eye even when the eye pressure is in the normal range

B] Causes And Symptoms Of Glaucoma 

Glaucoma damages the peripheral vision due to high intraocular pressure. This pressure is caused by fluid build-up in the eye. Either the fluid is produced in excess, or the drainage channels (trabecular meshwork) are blocked, leading to high IOP and glaucoma.

Other factors that increase the chances of glaucoma include:

• Age
• Injury
• Eye Surgery
• Cardiovascular Health
• Eye-Related Conditions
• Family History
• Ethnicity
• Medical Conditions Like Diabetes

Glaucoma may not show any symptoms at first as it develops gradually. However, patients may experience the following:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Blind spots in central or peripheral vision
• Severe headaches
• Tunnel vision
• Redness in the eye
• Blurred vision
• Seeing halos around lights

Usually, glaucoma affects older people, especially those above 60. However, it may still occur in the young generation due to other risk factors. 

If you look at cataracts vs glaucoma symptoms, you’ll find that vision loss due to glaucoma is an irreversible issue. Therefore, early detection is very important. 

You should consult the best ophthalmologist in Adelaide if you face any of these symptoms or want to check your eyes.
 

C] What Are Cataracts? 

Cataracts are caused by the clouding of the eye’s natural lens. This lens lies behind the iris and the pupil. Because of the cloudy lens, the light scatters across the retina, leading to blurry vision. 

The reason why cataracts occur in people is due to protein buildup in the lens. Cataracts may affect one or both eyes, but a person cannot have more than one cataract in an eye. 

Like glaucoma, cataracts take time to show symptoms. However, glaucoma vs cataracts vision loss is different in terms of causes, signs, and treatment.
 

D] Causes And Symptoms Of Cataracts 

There’s a clear lens in your eye from where the light enters. It allows images to be projected onto the retina at the back of the eye. Over time, the protein in your eye starts breaking down.

While doing so, it may start sticking together. Whitish, yellow, or brown clumps may start forming, clouding, blocking, or distorting the vision. This is what cataracts are. While natural changes over time are the most common reason for cataracts, there may be other factors leading to it:

• Infection of the uterus during birth
• Eye surgery
• Eye injury
• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Smoking 
• Steroid use for a long time
• Excessive alcohol consumption
• Extreme sun exposure
• Obesity
• Genetics

The symptoms of cataract may take time to develop but may be as follows:

• Blurry vision
• Sensitivity to light
• Poor night vision
• Seeing halos around lights
• Not seeing colours properly/ faded colours
• Double vision
• Frequently changing eyewear prescriptions
• Glare
• Difficulty seeing phone or TV

The symptoms of cataracts vs glaucoma are quite different, as evidenced here. However, vision loss caused due to cataracts is treatable through cataract eye surgery in Adelaide. Therefore, patients should get checked when they face the symptoms or maintain a regular eye checkup schedule to prevent this issue.
 

E] Glaucoma Versus Cataracts: Key Differences

If you’re wondering what’s the difference between cataracts and glaucoma and need a clear distinction, these points will explain:

1. Nature of the Condition

The primary difference between cataracts and glaucoma comes from how it happens. While glaucoma happens due to the pressure of the built-up fluid, cataracts occur due to protein clumps in the natural lens, clouding the vision. 

Additionally, the pressure in the eye affects the optic nerve that connects the eye to the brain in glaucoma. On the other hand, cataracts cloud the lens responsible for projecting the image. Thus, different areas of the eye are affected due to these two conditions.

2. Progression

The main answer to the question “What is the difference between glaucoma and cataracts?” is progression towards vision loss. Glaucoma is called a silent thief of vision and can progress without symptoms until significant vision loss occurs. In contrast, cataracts progress slowly and affect central vision. Both conditions can be detected early through routine eye exams.

3. Treatment Approaches

Glaucoma causes irreversible vision loss. Therefore, early detection is the key to preserving vision. This is done through medicated eye drops, microsurgical techniques like MIGS and trabeculectomy, and laser treatment. 

For cataracts, cataract surgery is quite common in restoring vision. During cataract surgery, the old, cloudy lens in the eye is removed and replaced with an artificial one, improving the eyesight significantly.

Conclusion

Glaucoma vs cataracts- both conditions may cause vision loss gradually but have many differences. While one happens due to fluid build-up causing pressure in the eye, the other results from cloudy vision due to clumps of protein in the lens. Nevertheless, both these ailments call for regular eye checkups so you can detect the problem early and resolve the issue. 

While cataracts can be removed through surgery, glaucoma may lead to permanent vision loss before treatment. Therefore, consult professionals like us and get your problems diagnosed and resolved immediately. Contact us today.

Dr. Swati Sinkar

Dr. Swati Sinkar is a dedicated and experienced General Ophthalmologist with a special interest in cataract surgery, Pterygium surgery, eyelid malpositions, glaucoma treatment, Macular degeneration treatment, and paediatric ophthalmic conditions. She has been extensively trained in Australia and overseas and was awarded a Fellowship from RANZCO in 2015. Passionate about preventing paediatric blindness, she established neonatal screening for Retinopathy of Prematurity in Northern Adelaide at Lyell McEwin Hospital. Dr. Sinkar mentors trainees, teaches internationally, and values evidence-based medicine, with numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals. Outside work, she enjoys cooking, travel, cricket, and badminton.