A ROUTINE eye appointment at Guiseley Specsavers saved Richard O’Callaghan’s sight, thanks to early diagnosis of high-grade papilledema, caused by very high blood pressure.

During Richard’s eye test, optometrist Sameen Khan detected swelling at the back of the eye and promptly rang the local hospital to arrange an ophthalmology appointment, which detected the high-grade papilledema, attributing the cause to high blood pressure.

Following this, Richard also received a CT scan of the brain and a spinal tap to check for pressure on the brain. The results of which thankfully didn’t indicate any further concerns.

Having had his blood pressure successfully lowered, Richard was discharged from hospital with medications to stabilise his blood pressure in the long run.

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.”

He added: “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.”

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.”

Specsavers Guiseley offers a full range of eye health services including OCT scans, as well as hearing care services.

For more information about services, appointments or advice, visit specsavers.co.uk/stores/guiseley