Member Article

Life-saving eye test for 29-year-old in brain tumour ordeal

Paul Constable’s worst fears were realized after an eye test led to life–saving surgery for a brain tumour, which has seen the 29-year-old lose his eyesight, relocate to a different workplace and sacrifice his driving licence.

The Co-op store team leader - who hadn’t had his sight checked since childhood - credits the eye test he underwent at Vision Express in Sittingbourne with saving his life.

Now on the road to recovery, Paul, from Queenborough, has had to relocate to a job closer to home. But despite losing sight in his right eye, Paul has perfect vision in his remaining eye and is hopeful of regaining his licence in the future. To mark Road Safety Week 2017, he is calling on people to get the essential health check, which is being offered for free by Vision Express at stores nationwide.

Paul had been experiencing deteriorating vision, headaches and flashing lights for almost half a year before he finally sought medical advice. “I had also been struggling with my speech for a couple of months,” he says. “My manager at the time knew something was wrong as I would sit in his office with him for half an hour but couldn’t say anything. I knew what I wanted to say but couldn’t get the words out.”

Having ignored his symptoms for months, Paul grew more concerned and visited his local hospital in February 2016, but was sent home with suspected eyestrain. “It was my fiancé, Aimee, who booked me in to have an eye test three days later, as she is a customer of the Vision Express Sittingbourne store,” he adds.

“It was the first time I’d had my eyes tested since I was a child but I was just expecting them to say my sight had deteriorated and glasses would sort it out.” But, Paul was in for a shock when he was told he needed to go to hospital immediately.

He continues: “The optometrist detected signs of papilledema behind my eye and referred me for an emergency appointment at Maidstone hospital. She stayed calm but said it was an emergency.

Poonam Matharu, Vision Express optometrist, explains: “The photos from Paul’s eye test show that both his optic discs were really swollen – a classic sign of papilledema. He also had significant sight loss in both eyes, which was causing the blurry vision.”

Paul says: “I don’t remember too much after that. Aimee says my mum called me while we were on our way to Maidstone but because I couldn’t speak, I hung up on her. She called her back and explained and as my mum is a nurse, she knew I could likely have a brain tumour, so she started panicking and thinking the worst.”

At the hospital, a CT scan confirmed the diagnosis and revealed Paul had a life– threatening brain tumour. Just three weeks later, he underwent an 11-hour operation, where surgeons removed what they could see of the tumour.

“The doctors originally thought it was a benign tumour, which may have been slow–growing for ten years or so, but when they took it out it turned out to be meningioma, and was in fact a very fast–growing tumour,” he continues.

Following his surgery, Paul was kept under hospital care and had regular scans every four months. “The doctors thought the tumour wasn’t growing back but they weren’t going to discharge me until I had the all clear,” he adds. “Sadly, we found out in September 2016 that it had grown back and it was it was in the main vein in my brain, so radiotherapy and surgery carried too many risks.

“We waited until the tumour was fully blocking the vein, so it could then just be snipped out and I was operated on earlier this year.” He now has regular scans and eye tests at the hospital.

Due to the position of the tumour in Paul’s brain, he has suffered from memory loss and has had to piece his experience together with help from his family. “When I think about it now, I’d been struggling to remember things for a while, but at the time, I didn’t realise,” he adds.

“Everyone around me knew I wasn’t well, but I did the typical guy thing and said I was fine, but deep down, I knew something was wrong.

“I just wish I’d gone for an eye test sooner. I tell everyone now, look at what happened to me; Vision Express saved my life so make sure you go and get your eyes checked.

Poonam adds: “If Paul had left it any later to seek advice, the prognosis wouldn’t be as good. It’s so important to have regular eye tests, and if you suffer from any worrying symptoms, particularly headaches, visit your optician as soon as possible – don’t wait.”

Paul is backing Vision Express’ Road Safety Week (20-26 November 2017) campaign this month, which is offering a free eye test for all, in a bid to reduce road incidents attributed to poor sight. Around 2,900 road casualties per year are thought to be down to people getting behind the wheel with below-par vision.

After having to sacrifice his licence due to suffering seizures caused by the tumour and treatment, putting his job at risk, Paul is urging drivers to maintain regular eye tests to ensure their sight is fit for the road.

“It’s been a real nuisance no longer being able to drive but I’m not safe to be behind the wheel. I had to relocate and begin working closer to home as I could no longer get to the office in Sittingbourne.

“I also used to play football and cricket but I’ve had to stop all that now. Luckily, although I have lost vision in my right eye, my left eye is counteracting it because the sight is pretty much perfect, so I should be able to reapply for my licence. I need to be a year seizure free, but I haven’t had one since March so fingers crossed I get it back soon.”

Vision Express research reveals almost 30% of UK drivers are overdue an eye test, with 4% admitting to never having had one. It is estimated that five million drivers on UK roads would fail to read a number plate from 20 metres if they had to take their driving test again.

A free eye test is available at any Vision Express store nationwide by downloading the voucher until 26 November from the Vision Express website. The voucher can be redeemed until 31 December 2017 at any of approximately 400 Vision Express stores across the UK.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Vision Express .