A business agent from Suffolk is sharing his story this National Eye Health Week (23 – 29 September) after an eye test at an optician’s led to his brain tumour diagnosis.
Bad headaches and blurred took Hugo to the optician in spring 2022.
Within days he was diagnosed with a brain tumour – a germinoma – and having brain surgery.
Now he’s urging anyone to visit their optician if something’s not right with their vision.
His advice comes as new research launched to mark the start of National Eye Health Week reveals a staggering 19 million Brits are putting their physical and mental health at risk by failing to have regular eye tests.
Routine eye tests are essential health checks for the prevention of poor health. In addition to identifying problems with eyesight they can also detect a range of other ailments including high blood pressure (hypertension), raised cholesterol, heart disease, brain tumours and risk of stroke.
Hugo’s Story
When Hugo Fairbanks Weston, from Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, started to get bad headaches in spring 2022, he contacted his GP, who advised him to stay hydrated and take paracetamol. But then Hugo, 25, a business agent with Christie and Co, had blurred vision when he was at work.
In the following days, another bad headache, followed by a migraine that kept him off work, prompted him to call his optician.
Hugo’s usual opticians was fully booked, with no appointments for three weeks, but he was fortunate to get a cancellation at a different opticians near his office.
After the eye examination, Hugo returned to work, but then he got a call on his mobile. The optician was suspicious about his optic nerve and wanted to do another scan.
After that, things happened quickly. The optician diagnosed papilledema, which is a build up of pressure around the optic nerve, potentially caused by a brain tumour.
“I was referred to the eye department at Ipswich hospital which I went to the next day. They agreed with the optician that my optic nerve looked swollen and so booked me in for an MRI the following week.
“Looking back, it was probably a good thing that things happened so fast – I didn’t have time to think or worry too much about what was happening.
“That MRI was on the Monday, I then went into hospital on the Friday and had brain surgery at Addenbrooke’s Hospital on the Sunday, so the process was very quick – just 12 days between the bad migraine and the surgery.”
Vision and brain tumours – fast facts
- Headaches, blurry vision and double vision are some of the hallmark symptoms that can be associated with a brain tumour
- For some people, these symptoms are normal. But if they don’t disappear, get them checked out.
- One in three patients report a problem with their vision because of a brain tumour or its treatment.
- 39% of children diagnosed with a brain tumour experience sight or vision changes.
- Many employers pay for eye examinations, which are free of charge for children under 16 in full time education.
Treatment and recovery
During the surgery, Hugo had a shunt fitted to reduce the pressure in his brain. A biopsy confirmed he had a germinoma tumour. Hugo has good reason to be grateful to his optician. He was told that had he waited for an appointment, he might have lost his sight.
Happily, the surgery was successful, and Hugo began 24 sessions of radiotherapy treatment that he completed in August 2022. Regular scans show that he is now tumour-free, and in July last year he got his driving licence back.
He’s since been back to the optician who referred him to hospital, as have grateful family members, who gifted him a bottle of champagne as a thank you. And, working with The Brain Tumour Charity thanks to Hugo’s girlfriend, Francesca, who is now a young ambassador with the charity, Hugo’s keen to raise awareness of the role opticians can play in a brain tumour diagnosis. His advice to anyone experiencing similar symptoms to his?
“Make that optician’s appointment if something is not right with your vision. I’m very glad I did that day.”
Lorcan Butler, an optometrist and dispensing optician who works as the Optical Engagement Manager at The Brain Tumour Charity, has delivered training and advice to 13,000 eye specialists between 2020 and 2024.
He said: “We are hugely grateful to Hugo for sharing his experience this National Eye Health Week. Several health conditions, including brain tumours, can be detected during a routine eye examination. If you, or a loved one, have any concerns about your vision please do not hesitate to contact your local optician to get reassurance and support.”
Find out more about eye tests this National Eye Health Week
Some brain tumours can be detected through an eye test. So, it’s worth making regular appointments, especially if you’re having any problems with your vision.
For more information on eye tests, click the link below: