How a routine eye appointment in Leeds potentially saved a man's eyesight by highlighting serious health issue

Richard O’Callaghan went to a Specsavers branch in Guiseley for a standard appointment, but swelling at the back of the eye was detected during his eye test. A hospital appointment was arranged and it was revealed he had high-grade papilledema caused by high blood pressure.

If it had been left untreated, Richard could have lost his sight. Richard said: “It was a scary episode, I didn’t even realise I had high blood pressure, let alone that it could have such a dramatic effect on my eyes and potentially damage my sight.

“Although there wasn't a neurological cause of my papilledema, if there had been then my eye test and Sameen’s professionalism could've been the difference between a positive and negative outcome. I can’t thank the team at Guiseley Specsavers enough for their fast action and support, their fast action not only saved my sight but my life too.”

Richard received a CT scan of the brain, as well as a spinal tap to check for pressure. The results did not indicate further concerns and Richard has since been discharged having had his blood pressure lowered.

Anjham Akbar, ophthalmic director at Specsavers Guiseley, said: “High blood pressure can be very serious if undiagnosed and patients are often surprised that a simple eye test can pick up a condition like this.

“Routine eye tests are about so much more than just checking your prescription, we’re assessing your overall eye health and with new OCT testing, we’re able to detect sight-threatening eye conditions earlier and act more quickly in emergency situations like Richard’s.”