A keen golfer narrowly avoided death after a chance trip to Specsavers for an eye test revealed he had a brain tumour the size of a tennis ball.
Jonathan Jones, 56, had suffered from extreme vision loss before medical experts revealed the shocking find after a brain scan. The accountant first noticed a problem while playing a round of golf after having difficulty finding his ball despite it being close to him.
He took a trip his local Specsavers expecting a routine prescription change, but was stunned when the optometrist spotted a growth behind his right eye. Jonathan was struggling to see anything when looking to the right with his right eye and when looking left with his left eye – a clear indicator of a brain tumour.
Medics carried out an MRI the next day at Peterborough City Hospital and found a tumour pushing against the front of his brain. A week later, Jonathan went to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge where surgeons removed the large growth in a 14-hour procedure on August 3.
Jonathan, from Tallington, in Lincolnshire, said: “I realised something was wrong with my sight as I was having difficulty finding my golf balls. I could see them from 20 yards away, but when I got closer they would disappear.
“This was really unusual and quite frightening, so I decided to make an appointment at Specsavers to get some advice. I went expecting nothing more serious than a prescription change, so to be told I had a brain tumour was a complete shock.”
Four months on from the gruelling operation, Jonathan has regained his vision and is recovering well. He felt he was lucky to have found the tumour when he did and fears the outcome could have been much worse if he hadn’t gone to Specsavers.
Jonathan added: “This experience has really highlighted to me how important it is to speak to a professional when something doesn’t feel right, especially when it concerns your health. If I’d not gone to Specsavers I may well be in a very different position today and so for that I’m extremely grateful.”
Neil Macdonald, the optometrist director who spotted Jonathan’s tumour, said: “I’m so pleased Jonathan is on the road to a full recovery. Cases like his, although not common, do demonstrate the importance of eye examinations in the detection of abnormal health conditions.
“We encourage everyone to make an appointment to see their optician if they are experiencing any vision issues.”
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