Optometrist's referral saves life of patient

An optometrist has won praise after the life-saving referral of a young patient who turned out to have a brain tumour.

Practitioner Anna Lewin was called into action in October last year, when 23-year-old patient Amber Carter was advised by her GP to book an eye appointment because she had felt unwell for several months. Symptoms had included sickness and headaches.

Following the eye examination, at Haine & Smith Opticians Chippenham, Lewin detected that the optic nerves of both the patient's eyes appeared swollen and referred her straight to Royal United Hospital in Bath.

The following day she had a nine-hour operation at Frenchay Hospital Bristol to remove a benign tumour that was described as being the size of an orange.