His diagnosis was on par with the symptoms.
A British accountant almost missed the warning signs of a brain tumor — until vision impairment landed him at the doctor’s office for an eye test.
Jonathan Jones, 56, said he first noticed the vision loss when he couldn’t find golf balls during a round – despite them being near him.
“I realized that something was wrong with my sight as I was having difficulty finding my golf balls,” Jones, from England, told SWNS. “I could see them from 20 yards away, but when I got closer, they would disappear.”
He added: “This was really unusual and quite frightening, so I decided to make an appointment at Specsavers in Stamford to get some advice.”
Jones said he took a trip to the British eyewear and vision testing chain to see an optometrist for a prescription change. There, the clinician reportedly discovered a tennis-ball sized tumor.
Jones described his symptoms as being unable to see out of his right eye, while having difficulties seeing out of the left one when looking left.
Common brain tumor symptoms include new or changing headache patterns; unexplained nausea or vomiting; vision issues; gradual loss of feeling or movement in a limb; difficulty with balance and speech; fatigue and more.
“I went to Specsavers expecting nothing more serious than a prescription change, so to be told that I had a brain tumor was a complete shock,” Jones explained.
He said he received an MRI the following day at the Peterborough City Hospital, where doctors got a better look at the tumor pushing against the front of his brain. Surgeons reportedly operated on Jones’ brain on Aug. 3 for 14 hours to remove the growth.
Months after the procedure, Jones says he has regained his sight after the chance vision check that may have saved his life.
“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,” he declared.
“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.”
His optometrist, Neil Macdonald, said he’s “pleased” Jones is on the mend, using his case as an example of the importance of routine healthcare.
“Cases like his, although not common, do demonstrate the importance of eye examinations in the detection of abnormal health conditions,” Macdonald told SWNS. “We encourage everyone to make an appointment to see their optician if they are experiencing any vision issues.”
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