Father-of-three diagnosed with eye tumour during routine examination
Without that eye examination the tumour could have spread and I may not have lived to tell the story The cancer- which grows inside the eye - can also cause loss of vision and retina detachment.
A father-of-three was relieved he had followed the well known advice and gone to a Specsavers - after a routine eye test revealed a life-threatening tumour.
Lorry driver Gareth Wells, 48, went to see optician Raj Sandhu, 38, who spotted an obstruction behind his retina during t he eye-examination last September.
Further tests revealed that Gareth had a rare choroidal melanoma tumour - which can be deadly if left untreated.
The cancer- which grows inside the eye - can also cause loss of vision and retina detachment.
Mr Wells, from Erdington, West Midlands, underwent procedures to kill the tumour at Sheffield Eye Hospital, included 18-minute bursts of radiotherapy directly on to the eye. But the following day the tumour burst, causing a detached retina and doctors had to work quickly to save his sight by performing another procedure.
The second operation was a success and Mr Wells has made a full recovery and is now able to see with the aid of glasses.
He said: ‘I’ m so grateful to Raj for spotting the tumour in the first place.
‘Without that eye examination the tumour could have spread and I may not have lived to tell the story.
‘Raj noticed there was an obstruction and after some more tests I was referred to Birmingham Eye Hospital for an ultrasound.
‘It’s an extremely rare form of cancer, which was very scary.
‘He saved my life and it’s hard to put into words how thankful I am to Raj.
‘I hadn’t really appreciated how important regular sight checks are, not just for helping your vision but in picking up other potential health problems.
‘I’ve urged all my family and friends to make sure they visit their optician, and will certainly make sure I keep up my regular appointments with Raj.’
Optometrist Mr Sandhu, said: ‘Gareth’s story just goes to show that eye examinations are extremely important, not just for testing how well you can see but also for detecting other underlying health issues.’