Eye test leads to life-saving cancer treatment for Isle of Wight chef
A ROUTINE visit to the opticians led to the diagnosis of 56-year-old man’s prostate cancer. Kevin Seal booked an appointment at his local Specsavers in Newport to replace his broken glasses. As usual, he had an eye examination to check his vision, where everything seemed to be in order – apart from unexpected signs of high cholesterol.
Kevin says: ‘I had no health problems, so was surprised to be told by the optician that he would recommend I book in with my GP for some blood tests as soon as possible, as the eye test showed signs of high cholesterol.’
Following this advice, chef Kevin contacted his GP surgery, had a blood test, and waited for the results. To his surprise he was called in to go for further tests, as the results confirmed high cholesterol but also picked up a more concerning problem.
Kevin explains: ‘Following the test, I was sent for a MRI and a biopsy. In December, following a positive diagnosis for prostate cancer, I was operated on at the Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth, where they removed my prostate.’
It’s been a long recovery and has had an impact on his life but Kevin is grateful that the treatment saved his life. The time from the eye test and bloods to the operation was three months and caught the cancer before it spread anywhere else in his body. After the operation Kevin had blood tests every six months, and – luckily – now has the all-clear.
Jignesh Patel, optometrist at Specsavers Newport, says: ‘Kevin had no symptoms or problems with his eyesight, so this really was a standard check to make sure we had the correct measurements for his lenses.
‘As part of any eye examination, we not only check your vision but also the health of the eye. In Kevin’s case he did have some signs of high cholesterol. I explained to him that this could be normal, but it would be worth getting it checked out to make sure.’
Kevin says: ’I want to thank Jignesh for his advice, because without it as part of the eye test I would not have been aware that I had high cholesterol and probably would not be here today to tell others about my experience.
‘Needless to say, I am so grateful for having a future and being able to have an opportunity to focus on my health as well as getting back to the job I love at the Pointers Inn.’
Catherine Kidd, Newport Specsavers store director, says: ‘We are so delighted that Mr Seal has received the treatment that he needed. We’d like to thank him for sharing his experience and helping to raise awareness of the health benefits of having regular eye tests.’