An Arnold mum of two is encouraging others not to neglect their vision after her eyesight was saved following an eye test at Specsavers in the town.
Karen Stubbs, 42, visited the opticians on Front Street when she realised she hadn’t had an eye test in years.
“As a parent, you get so preoccupied with your kids’ needs, you forget about yourself,’ she said.
“I thought I needed to focus on my own health a bit and booked an eye examination.’
“I had noticed that my eyesight was getting a little worse and I had started getting migraines but I didn’t think it was anything serious.’
When Arnold Specsavers optometrist, Adila Khokhar, examined Karen’s eyes, she discovered the early stages of a potentially sight-threatening condition. Using a viewing microscope for the eye called a slit lamp, Adila could see that pressure may be building up inside Karen’s eyes.
Karen was referred to the eye clinic at the Queen’s Medical Centre (QMC), where she was treated with laser surgery to relieve the pressure at the back of her eyes. Without treatment, the condition could have led to closed-angle glaucoma and loss of sight. She has now been discharged from QMC and just needs annual checks with an optometrist to monitor the condition.
“I really want people to know that they should be getting regular eye examinations, even if their vision seems fine”, said Karen.
“Just over a year ago, I had no idea there was anything happening to my eyes. Now that I know, I’ve been able to warn my brother and kids that it’s something they need to watch out for, as it can be hereditary.”
Glaucoma is a progressive eye condition that can happen when naturally-occurring fluid inside the eye does not drain properly, causing a build-up of pressure which damages the optic nerve. There are two main types – chronic glaucoma, which develops slowly with subtle changes to vision, and acute glaucoma, which can develop rapidly eventually leading to a painful build-up of pressure in the eye.
Although it often affects both eyes, in a lot of cases it can be symptomless until it has already damaged your sight, so regular eye tests – and making sure that you follow your treatment plan if diagnosed – really matter.
Optometrist director at Arnold Specsavers, Vineet Nehra, said: ‘Karen’s story shows just how important it is to have a routine eye examination. We were able to see the early signs of this condition so that Karen could get the treatment she needed. If it had been left untreated it could have led to acute glaucoma and permanent loss of sight.’
