Woman left with partial vision after waiting four days for eye check

A woman who was left with partial vision after delaying seeking medical help said she wished she had gone to an optician when she first developed symptoms as her vision could have been saved.

Gail Cairns, from Belfast, began experiencing vision loss, headaches and eye pain in July 2025 but waited four days to have her eyes tested.

After being scanned by an optometrist through a free NHS scheme, she was immediately referred to hospital for treatment.

She had a serious eye condition that left permanent damage.

Mrs Cairns was diagnosed Non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NA-AION) and pseudo-Foster-Kennedy syndrome.

A detailed scan carried out by an optometrist showed damage to her optic nerve due to swelling in the brain.

In hospital she was treated with steroids to reduce the swelling, but said “sadly the damage was done.”

“Life has changed” and she can no longer drive.

“If I had known about this condition and how quickly things could change, I would have gone on Monday.

“The likelihood is that I will still be able to drive and do all the normal things I did,” she said.

The 60-year-old said daily activities such as cooking, going up and down stairs, reading to grandchildren and putting on makeup were now difficult.

But she said “the hardest part was in the hospital when my three-year-old granddaughter was sitting on the bed and I couldn't see a single feature of her.”

“I just got a lump in my throat and it felt like someone had punched me in the stomach.

“That was the first time I cried because of it,” she said.

Ms Cairns has had her eyes checked annually due to a family history of glaucoma, but wants to urge anyone with sudden changes in their eyes to act quickly.

“Even the slightest change – do not delay – contact your optician immediately.”

She's grateful she didn't lose her sight completely.

Much like a general practitioner an optometrist is a primary care provider who specializes in identifying and correcting conditions that affect vision and eye health.

Optometrists are trained to recognize eye abnormalities and many provide enhanced services, including same-day NIPEARS appointments for urgent eye problems such as those seen by Mrs Cairns.

This is a service for patients who have suddenly developed vision problems during the previous 14 days, such as:

• Pain and/or discomfort in or around the eyes.

• Sudden loss of vision in one or both eyes.

• New onset or sudden increase in flashes and/or floaters in one or both eyes

• Something in your eyes that you can't remove on your own

The service has been running since 2018 and is provided by more than 90% of practices, including the Sam Baird Clinic in Dundonald, which Ms Cairns attended.

“Gail came in at 4pm on Friday with very sore eyes and unable to see clearly.

“We bought drops to make her eyes easier. We scanned her and concluded that she needed urgent treatment at the hospital,” he said.

He was able to provide her with images of the optic nerve “which were diagnostic of the condition, which meant that when she went to the Ulster Hospital she was admitted immediately rather than having to wait several hours.”

This meant Mrs Cairns could begin treatment immediately.

Mr Baird stressed the importance of getting your eyes checked when symptoms appear as vision loss can happen very quickly.

Although he said Mrs Cairn's case was rare, if she had come earlier in the week the outcome might have been different.

“It's those small cases where it can make a very significant difference.

“Opticians have specialist equipment to scan and properly examine the eyes – something A&E departments and GPs don’t have.”

Mr Baird said the NIPEARS system reduces pressure on the “two ends” of the health service.

“We're taking the pressure off GPs dealing with minor eye conditions, and we're taking the pressure off eye hospitals because they're not overwhelmed with unnecessary referrals,” he said.

According to the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB)Every day in the UK, 250 people begin to lose their sight, which is equivalent to one person every six minutes.

The charity says more than two million people in the UK are living with sight loss, half of them blind and partially sighted, and living with chronic, irreversible eye conditions.

The RNIB said the number of people with sight loss in the UK is expected to double to more than four million by 2050.

In September 2025 The Department of Health (DoH) has highlighted the “vital role of community optometry in improving access to care and shaping the future of eye care in Northern Ireland.”

Raymond Curran, director of ophthalmology at the Department of Health, urges people to look after their eyes as “50% of all sight loss is preventable.”

He said “primary care optometrists” should be the first port of call for eyes as GPs are struggling with capacity.

Eye emergency departments are struggling to cope with increased demand.

The Department of Health said it is committed to making it easier for patients to access the care they need, and that community optometry shows how services provided closer to home can identify problems early, reduce waiting lists and reduce pressure on hospitals.