09/30/2025
If you’re wondering why you need an annual eye exam, please read this post written by a colleague…
“When a Routine Eye Exam Becomes Life-Saving
A healthy 31-year-old firefighter came in for what we both thought was just a routine contact lens exam. No symptoms, no complaints.
During the exam, I noticed swelling of his optic nerves (right eye greater than left) and referred him to neuro-ophthalmology. MRI revealed something no one expected - a malignant brain tumor the size of an avocado. He was sent straight to the ER, and that night, they operated.
A few weeks later, I found a Starbucks gift card in my bin from him. Not long after, he showed up at the office asking to see me. When I walked up front, he gave me a huge hug and said, “You saved my life.” I was speechless as the truth of it sunk in, then mustered to share my true feelings that we should both thank God. He showed me before-and-after pictures of the surgery – see attached. He’ll undergo targeted radiation and chemotherapy, but his prognosis is good.
This case reminded me – again - that optometry is so much more than glasses and contact lenses. Comprehensive eye exams can reveal serious systemic disease. And sometimes, they truly save lives.“
