A ROUTINE eye test saved the sight of a North Yorkshire man who was diagnosed with glaucoma.

Mick Dunham, of Hull Road, Cliffe, near Selby, has praised staff at Specsavers in Low Ousegate, York, and optometrist Anitha Krishnan for their professionalism and prompt action to ensure the correct diagnosis was made and relevant treatment administered.

Mr Dunham, 45, said there was no history of glaucoma or diabetes in his family and he thought he was young to be diagnosed with the condition which, if left untreated, can cause blindness.

Mr Dunham, a purchasing manager at York-based credit card protection firm CPP, said: “Had I not just wandered in for a routine sight test, things could have been very different.

“You could have knocked me down with a feather when they said I had glaucoma. I am quite short-sighted and apparently that is one of the high risk groups, but I had been using the same prescription for more than ten years.

“In recent months I had noticed deterioration in my sight and suspected my prescription needed updating.

“After my initial test readings caused concern, Anitha referred me immediately for an emergency appointment with a specialist at York Hospital.

“Within hours I’d been identified as being at risk of having glaucoma and significant damage to my eyesight had been identified. Further testing and consultation followed which led to a final diagnosis six weeks later.”

Mr Dunham said he now has to use daily eye drops and will eventually require surgery, although his sight has been stabilised.

He said: “I would urge everyone to have their eyesight tested regularly – we all religiously go to the dentist but if your teeth fall out they can be replaced, it’s not so easy with eyes.”

Deryck Watts, store director at York Specsavers, said: “Mick was very fortunate to be diagnosed when he did.

“I cannot stress enough just how important regular eye tests are. Opticians not only look out for undetected problems with vision, but also for signs of any serious medical conditions such as diabetes and in rare cases glaucoma.”

Glaucoma slowly destroys eyesight through raised pressure within the eyeball. Most sufferers experience no discomfort, which means that significant and lasting damage can occur before they notice any difference. People over 40 are particularly at risk but, if diagnosed early, the condition can be managed effectively with eye drops.