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A mother's life was saved after her optician spotted she had a brain tumour during a routine eye test. Jessica Hyde, 31, was suffering severe headaches so went to her optician to get her eyesight checked - and to see if she needed an upgraded prescription.
But once there, specialists noticed her optic nerve was swollen - a possible sign of cancer - and she was referred hospital immediately.
Jessica Hyde (with optician Sarah Hirst) went for an appointment after suffering severe headaches. But once there, specialists noticed her optic nerve was swollen - a possible sign of cancer - and she was referred hospital immediately. An MRI scan later revealed a brain tumour
An MRI scan revealed a brain tumour and doctors decided to operate.
The beautician, from Birmingham, said: 'I was getting really bad headaches but assumed I just needed to update the prescription in my glasses.
'The optician spotted that the optic nerve was swollen, and I was referred to hospital the next day.
'If I hadn't been for that eye test I wouldn't be alive now. The build up of pressure on my brain would have killed me.'
Ms Hyde was given an MRI scan at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, which revealed she had a tumour.
Ms Hyde, pictured here with son Nico and daughter Karis, said: 'If I hadn't been for that eye test I wouldn't be alive now. The build up of pressure on my brain would have killed me'
Ms Hyde has now had fluid drained from her brain and most of the tumour removed
The doctors fitted a shunt in her head to relieve a build-up of fluid from her brain, before operating just a week later.
Ms Hyde said: 'They said I'd probably had it for several years, but if it had been left undetected for much longer it would have killed me.
'It was a very worrying time. With two young kids I kept thinking about all the things I wouldn't be able to do with them. Thankfully, the operation was a success.'
Doctors were unable to remove the full tumour as it would have affected her mobility. She has been left with a peanut-sized tumour still on her brain and must have a scan next year to ensure the tumour is not growing.
She added: 'I have got my fingers crossed that the results come back that it's not growing. Anything else doesn't bear thinking about.
'My partner Nicholas has been incredible. He's been taking care of our two kids, Karris, 12, and Nico, three. I couldn't have got through this without him.'
Sukhi Drake, Specsavers' Chelmsley Wood store director, said: 'Fortunately Jessica's case had a happy ending.
'Although it's unusual, it highlights the importance of regular eye examinations - and of seeing an optician promptly if patients experience vision problems or headaches.
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