Travel Insurance For Glaucoma Sufferers

Travel insurance for Glaucoma sufferers can be arranged by World First who are international travel insurance specialists. World First offer cheap holiday insurance for Glaucoma suffererers and annual travel insurance for UK residents with medical conditions who find it difficult to buy travel insurance with cover for Glaucoma and associated medical problems elsewhere. For more information about travel insurance for Glaucoma sufferers and a quote for your holiday insurance call World First for FREE on 0800 096 46 02.

Glaucoma is the name of a group of eye diseases that affects vision. If left untreated glaucoma can eventually cause blindness. Glaucoma is more common in old age, and happens when the optic nerve in the eye is damaged. The two main types of glaucoma are:

Open angle glaucoma (or chronic glaucoma), andacute angle closure glaucoma (or acute glaucoma).Open angle is the most common type of glaucoma. It develops very slowly and loss of sight is gradual and painless. The nerve fibres at the sides of the eye are the first to be affected, causing a loss of outer (peripheral) vision, which can be hard to notice. Central vision is the last to go.

Open angle glaucoma affects about two in every hundred people over the age of 40. However, this increases over the age of 70 to one person in ten.

Acute glaucoma is less common. The name refers to a narrowed angle between the iris and part of the back of the eye. The reduced angle increases pressure in the eye, causing it to quickly become sore and red.

Occasionally, glaucoma can develop from other eye conditions that cause an increase of pressure in the eye. This is called secondary glaucoma. It may happen as a result of eye injuries or inflammatory eye disease, for example.

Glaucoma is sometimes present from birth. This is called congenital glaucoma and happens when there is a structural abnormality affecting the way fluid drains from the eye.

Open angle glaucoma produces almost no symptoms until it is at an advanced stage. By this time, much of the outer (peripheral) field of vision has been lost, and the optic nerve may have been damaged. Many people do not notice a problem with their vision until this point, or assume a poor vision is part of getting older. This is why regular eye check ups every two years over the age of 40 are very important.

The symptoms of acute glaucoma are more severe, and include the following:
painful, red eye; eyeball that is hard and sore to the touch; enlarged pupil that is oval in shape; vision is misty, and you may see halos around sources of light. As acute glaucoma progresses, the pain can become very severe, and may be felt as toothache or headache. It can sometimes cause nausea and vomiting. Symptoms may last for a few hours, and then come back later. Usually, only one eye is affected, but every attack of symptoms causes further loss of vision. If you have these symptoms, it is important to see your optician straightaway. If this is not possible, go to your local hospital emergency department.

It can be difficult to recognise symptoms of congenital glaucoma, because children are often too young to understand there may be a problem with their vision. Consult your optician if you notice a cloudy, white, hazy, enlarged or protruding eye. Congenital glaucoma is more common in boys than girls

Source:
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