Woman’s sight is saved by visit to the opticians
A WOMAN’S sight has been saved after a Westcountry optician found she was suffering from a dangerous condition that a doctor and physiotherapist were unable to spot.
Interior designer Gillian Panter, 30, saw medical professionals about headaches and blurred vision – but they could find nothing wrong. So she booked an appointment for an eye test at the Specsavers store in Exeter, where she was told that her optic nerve appeared to be swollen. A hospital visit found she had a condition called papilloedema.
AWOMAN whose doctor and physiotherapist could find no reason for her headaches and blurred vision booked an eye test – and was diagnosed with a rare condition that, untreated, would have cost her her sight.
Gillian Panter, a 30-year-old interior designer from Exeter, had been suffering from debilitating headaches and blurriness at the edges of her vision for two months.
She saw her GP and a physiotherapist, but they could not find anything wrong. The headaches got worse, so she booked an appointment for an eye test at the Specsavers store in Exeter.
It comes as the Exeter store, along with other Specsavers sites, announced this week that they will stay open for all eye and hearing needs now that the country is in lockdown.
During Gillian’s eye test, the optometrist immediately noticed that her optic nerve appeared to be swollen. She was urgently referred to the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, where they found that she had papilloedema.
The swelling is a sign of a buildup of pressure in or around the brain. It can have a variety of causes, and is often a warning of a serious medical condition that needs attention.
When staff at the hospital examined Gillian, they found a formation of small blood clots in the venous sinuses and told her that, if the diagnosis had not been picked up when it was, she would have lost her sight.
After three months on blood thinners, she has fully recovered. She is now keen to raise awareness about her experience so that other people will recognise the symptoms and get their eyes tested straightaway.
Gillian says: “The headaches started as a dull ache and the GP said it was stress or a sinus infection, but it got so bad I couldn’t watch TV and I was getting dizzy when I bent down. It was really scary.
“When Specsavers told me what was causing my headaches, I was terrified because I had no idea what it all meant. But they managed to keep me calm and referred me to the hospital for further treatment. Now that I’ve been treated and am OK, I’m so relieved and also passionate about informing others of my experience. I would hate to think someone else might go through this.’
Emma Ginger, optometrist at Specsavers Exeter, says Gillian’s experience demonstrates how important it is for everyone to have their eyes tested. She and her colleagues will continue to provide care for the public during lockdown under the current Government guidelines.
Emma says: “Gillian’s case emphasises the need for regular check-ups, because they can pick up a range of conditions. She has 20-20 vision, so it wasn’t her eyesight that was the issue – it was the headaches. It would have been difficult to see the cause of them without her having an eye test.
“Eye exams can pick up things unrelated to the customer needing glasses. In Gillian’s case, we were able to see right away what the issue was and recommend the best course of action. It’s instances like this that make our job so rewarding. It’s wonderful to know the impact our referral had.’
Under current Government guidance, people are allowed to leave home to attend medical appointments, including eye and hearing tests, which are considered essential healthcare services.
‘I’m so relieved and also passionate about informing others of my experience’ GILLIAN PANTER