Early detection is a critically important factor when it comes to preventing and treating eye disease. This is especially true for irreversible conditions like macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. Cataracts no longer have to 'ripen' to be operable and patients do not have to experience significant vision loss before being able to be treated. The longer you go without treatment, the fewer options you have, so be sure to see your eye doctor regularly in order to detect, monitor, and treat cataracts, AMD, and other degenerative eye diseases