Pratish Bhundia took home the Dame Mary Perkins award for professionalism and expertise at this year’s annual Spectacle Wearer of the Year Award.
The award was presented to Bhundia, ophthalmic director at Specsavers Oakwood in Derby, and his team for their vigilance in detecting a brain tumour in eight-year-old Kian Preist.
Preist attended his local optician in Oakwood, Derbyshire for an eye test shortly before he was due to start the new school term. During the examination, optometrist Laura Hirst discovered that his optic nerve was swollen, and his optic discs blurred.
‘There are certain red flags that we look for during an eye test and Kian displayed two of these, which was a real cause for concern,’ explains Hirst.
Hirst told Preist’s grandmother, Cherryle Levett, to take him to A&E with an urgent referral.
‘We were extremely worried,’ says Levett. ‘Kian had practically no symptoms leading up to this, except for a couple of headaches that we put down to him running around and being a kid.’
Preist then went for an MRI scan. It was discovered that he had two life-threatening tumours in his brain. A successful surgery removed one tumour, while doctors continue to monitor the development of the second.
‘We are pleased to hear that Kian is doing well after his operation and to have played a part in getting his life-threatening tumour removed,’ says Bhundia. ‘It’s cases like these that really highlight how important sight tests are as part of your healthcare routine.’