10/01/2025
This is not our patient story; however, we have had some truly life-saving eye exams as well. A great reminder, with powerful images, of why comprehensive eye exams aren’t just about how well you see street signs at night.
—————————————————-
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. He had no symptoms and no complaints.
During the exam, I noticed swelling of his optic nerves (OD>OS) and referred him to neuro-ophthalmology. An MRI revealed something no one expected: a malignant brain tumor the size of an avocado. He was sent straight to the ER, and they operated that night.
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 I mustered my true feelings, saying we should both thank God. He showed me before-and-after pictures of the surgery – see attached. He will 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.
(Shared with permission and identifying details removed. Included below are de-identified images.)
