I went to get new glasses then was rushed to hospital moments later after terrifying discovery – it nearly left me blind
A TEENAGER who went to get new glasses had to be rushed to hospital after her optician made a shock discovery.
Shop worker Kyra Barboutis, 16, was diagnosed with a life-threatening condition that could have left her blind after a visit to her Stratford-Upon-Avon Specsavers opticians.
She said: "When I was at the hospital the doctors told me I could have lost my sight if it had been left any longer. It was so scary."
The schoolgirl had been dealing with headaches and extreme tiredness in the months leading up to her appointment in September last year, but didn't think anything of it.
During her appointment the optometrist, Sadiyya Akhtar, compared photos of the back of Kyra’s eyes from a previous visit and noticed her optic nerves looked slightly frayed.
A hospital trip was scheduled for the next morning, where she was given an MRI scan.
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Two days later the results found a swelling on Kyra's brain and she was diagnosed with Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH).
She was ordered back to Coventry for a lumbar puncture to drain the extra fluid.
Kyra stayed overnight for the operation, which saw a thin needle inserted between the bones in her lower spine.
She was "relieved" to finally know what was causing her brain fog, headaches and extreme tiredness.
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Her mum Helen said: 'Looking back, we only really now see how poorly Kyra was.
"She was feeling really unwell but it came on so slowly she didn't appreciate how unwell she felt until it was better. She was so shocked by how bad it had got.
"As well as the medication she’s now seeing three specialists to monitor and keep on top of things."
Kyra said she didn't panic despite the shock diagnosis because her optician stayed so calm.
She said: "Even when Sadiyya said she needed to check something again and brought another optician into the room, I wasn’t scared.
"She was so calm so I just kept thinking about the new glasses I’d need to pick.
"And when she told me she thought my mum should come in, I thought that maybe I’d been rude and was going to get told off."
What is Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH)
Brain swelling caused by high pressure around the brain causes symptoms including vision changes and headaches.
The condition is known as Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH).
It is treated with a lumbar puncture, which sees a thin needle inserted in the base of the spine.
Excess fluid is syringed out, which relieves the build-up in the brain.
If left untreated the condition can result in blindness and even, in extreme cases, death.
Symptoms include:
- Feeling sleepy, irritable and sick
- Temporary loss of vision
- Constant throbbing headache that might be worse in the morning and improve after standing up
It can be a lifelong problem.
While many people find symptoms are relieved with treatment, they can come back and have a significant impact on quality of life.
Permanent vision loss is thought to happen to one in every five to 20 people diagnosed with IIH.
She added: "I’m now taking quite a bit of medication to make sure my pressure doesn’t creep up again.
";This made me feel unwell but that’s settling down and I hardly ever get headaches now which is brilliant."
Sadiyya, Kyra's optician, said it was only a small difference in Kyra's optic nerve that flagged an issue.
She added: "When I was explaining to Kyra and her mum about what I’d noticed and that I thought she needed to go to hospital, I tried to keep things as straight forward as possible, telling them what they needed to know but without causing too much worry.
"It’s so important to get your eyes tested regularly but to also make an appointment if you notice any changes to your vision.
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"As Kyra’s case shows, it’s not just a prescription check but something that can help detect other conditions too.
"The earlier something is picked up the better so I’d encourage anyone to see an optician as soon as possible if something doesn’t seem right."
