In some people with macular degeneration, cataracts may also be present. Both are often related to age, which makes this a rather common occurrence. Find out the usual plan of action when both conditions are present. Additionally, you should consider whether treatment for one condition can also be used for the other issue.
Diagnosing Conditions
It should not be surprising that many people are age-related cataracts also have age-related macular degeneration. Clearly, older people are likely to get either one, and having both can be common. In some people with macular degeneration, cataracts can be shown to be present, but it does not always work the other way around. This means that macular degeneration cannot always be detected in those with advanced cataracts since the blurriness in the eye makes it hard to notice any signs of degeneration.
Treating Both Issues
One way to tell if someone with cataracts also has macular degeneration is to perform the cataract surgery. If the eyes are still cloudy and vision is still blurry afterward, the patient probably has age-related macular degeneration, as well. Of course, on the other hand, if the issue appears to be gone, the patient probably only had cataracts, followed by a successful surgery. When a patient clearly has macular degeneration, cataracts may have to wait to be removed until the vision gets worse, as some doctors recommend this route to prevent unnecessary surgery. Of course, if you have both issues and do not want to wait until you can barely see, it is usually up to you to decide when to have surgery.
Some studies have been performed that show that even those with macular degeneration and no sign of cataracts can benefit from cataract surgery, though this is not always the case. Unfortunately, it has been found that the main course of treatment for macular degeneration, which is a collection of vitamins called AREDS, has no impact on cataracts. Therefore, while some cataract treatments can cure macular degeneration, cataracts are not always able to be treated using cures for macular degeneration. Fortunately, cataract surgery alone is quite successful when it comes to getting rid of this condition.