Eye check may have saved Sheffield grandmother's life

A Sheffield grandmother has undergone potentially life-saving surgery after an optometrist helped identify a serious condition.
Optometrist Phil BantonOptometrist Phil Banton
Optometrist Phil Banton

Marie Jubb, aged 79, visited her local Specsavers, on Bellhouse Road, Firth Park, before Christmas, complaining that her eye did not feel quite right.

Optometrist Phil Banton identified abnormalities following the eye test.

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He then referred Mrs Jubb to specialists at the nearby Northern General Hospital with amaurosis fugax, a symptom of a more serious underlying condition.

Sufferers experience vision loss in one or both eyes, sometimes experienced as a curtain descending over their vision.

Usually, sight loss only lasts for a few seconds or minutes and is most commonly caused by a blockage in the carotid artery.

Mrs Jubb underwent a series of tests at the hospital.

She was then diagnosed with a blocked carotid artery, which can cause strokes and prove fatal if left untreated.

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After being rushed to surgery the next day, the blockage was removed by hospital specialists.

Mrs Jubb said: “I personally can’t thank Phil enough.

“I visited Specsavers Firth Park late last year as I felt something wasn’t quite right and Phil immediately referred me to hospital.

“I was a little shocked about the potential severity of the diagnosis, but the doctors were great, and I had an operation to clear the blockage the next day.

“It’s all sorted now and I’m especially pleased I did not delay my trip to Specsavers.

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“I encourage anyone who experiences a change in their sight to visit for a check-up straight away.”

Mr Banton said: “We’re really pleased to hear treatment has gone well for Mrs Jubb and the outcome has been extremely positive.

“As a patient of mine for some 15 years, I knew something wasn’t quite right for Mrs Jubb.

“ The subsequent surgery was certainly sight-saving and potentially saved her life. It goes to show just how important it is to have regular eye examinations.

“We recommend having your eyes tested at least every two years.”

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