A woman has undergone life-saving treatment for a tumour which was discovered at a routine eye test. Lollipop lady Karen Richards was experiencing headaches and double vision when she visited a Specsavers optometrist in July 2022.
She had already been seen by one optometrist who couldn't find anything wrong but Barry optometrist Helen Hopgood spotted a problem straightaway and 61-year-old Karen was immediately referred to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff.
Karen underwent a scan before being referred to an ear, nose, and throat specialist who identified a nasal tumour. As a result she had to have her bottom teeth removed and undergo 40 rounds of radiotherapy to remove the cancerous cells followed by 20 rounds of chemotherapy.
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Nasal cancer is a very rare cancer. According to the NHS symptoms include nosebleeds, a blocked nose, a decreased sense of smell, mucus running from your nose, and mucus draining into the back of your nose and throat. Later-stage symptoms can include double vision, a bulging eye, watering eyes, pain or pressure in one ear, pain in the face, or a lump.
The diagnosis has had a huge impact on Karen's life and has meant she has not been able to return to her job as a lollipop lady – a role she has held for the last 22 years. She is currently waiting for surgery to repair her eye as her sight has been affected by the treatment.
Despite the past year proving to be an incredibly testing period, both physically and psychologically, Karen said she was looking forward to getting back to doing the things she loves about life. Karen described the diagnosis as a "huge relief" after experiencing the symptoms for so long. She said: "If it wasn’t for Helen at Specsavers taking my symptoms and concerns so seriously my prognosis would look a lot worse right now. I’m so glad I sought a second opinion. Being told there was something wrong with my eye and that I needed to be referred to hospital was a huge relief."
Optometrist Helen added: "We’re really pleased we were able to detect the problem early enough and refer Mrs Richards to the hospital for further investigations. It underlines the importance of getting regular eye tests as one routine eye test can act as a life-saver.
"There’s a misconception that eye tests are only for people who have noticed a change in their sight but that’s just a small part of why they are so important. More than checking your vision an eye test is an overall eye health check inside and out. Your eyes can indicate signs of a range of general health problems like hypertension and diabetes and on rare occasions like this can detect life-threatening issues."
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