A woman holidaying in Teignmouth has praised opticians for their sight-saving diagnosis and caring for her beloved dog.
Beverley Pears was visiting the town for the first time with her 11-year-old cavapoo, Lola, when the vision in her left eye suddenly went cloudy and she could see ‘wiggly’ lines.
She Googled the symptoms and found that she possibly had a torn retina, but she didn’t want to go to the hospital because it would have meant leaving Lola alone in unfamiliar surroundings.
A torn retina often leads to a more serious condition called a detached retina, which is where the retina is lifted away from the back of the eye. In such cases, permanent blindness can happen as quickly as a few days.
Beverley went to the Specsavers Teignmouth store, where the staff immediately invited her in and took care of Lola while Beverley underwent an emergency assessment.
Beverley, from Nottingham, says: ‘They put me at ease about Lola straightaway, and the optician, Olivia,confirmed I had a small tear in my retina.
‘She suggested I go to the hospital, but I was worried about Lola, so I asked if I could drive back to Nottingham with Lola and visit the hospital there, but Olivia said that wasn’t advisable.
‘I was trying to think of somewhere that would look after Lola, because I was on holiday alone and without leaving her with someone I could trust, I couldn’t go to hospital. I really would have put Lola’s wellbeing ahead of my own.
‘Olivia phoned her parents to see if they would have Lola, but they’d already left home, so the people in the store’s back office said they’d look after her.
‘I asked them what would happen if I wasn’t back from the hospital before the store closed, and they said they’d take Lola home with them. I was amazed. They really helped me when I was feeling very scared and anxious.
‘They sorted everything out for me and organised a hospital appointment in Torbay that afternoon. Then they checked I knew where to go in the hospital and how to get there.
‘My eye was lasered at Torbay Hospital and when I left I got a taxi to Olivia’s home to pick up Lola. I really can’t thank Specsavers Teignmouth enough.
‘They were so lovely, and their expert assessment probably saved me from further damage and possible sight loss in my left eye.
‘For the store to take my worry about Lola away so I could concentrate on my eye, it’s incredible. When I told the hospital staff that the opticians were looking after my dog, they couldn’t believe it.
‘All the time I was in hospital, I was confident that Lola was getting lots of fuss and treats – and now she tries to go into Specsavers stores at every opportunity.’
Signs of a torn retina can include flashing lights in a person’s vision, many new floaters, and a shadow appearing in the peripheral vision.
Sam Roberts, Director at the Specsavers Teignmouthstore, says: ‘We were thrilled to look after Lola, who’s such a lovely dog, and we’re so glad that Mrs Pears’ story had such a positive outcome.
‘It’s situations like this that show how important it is to be aware of your sight and how it changes.
‘Retinal tears or detachment are usually related to changes in the eye as we age, so regular eye tests are essential for early detection and prevention.
‘It can be easy to ignore small signs and think they’ll go away, but the earlier a retinal tear is treated, the greater the chances of restoring good vision.
‘Anyone with concerns about any unusual symptoms they’re experiencing should visit their optician or a GP as soon as possible.’
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