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 the street signs at night.
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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 (OD>OS) 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.
(Shared with permission and identifying details removed. Included below are de-identified images.)
