Woman saved after eye test spots life-threatening condition that doctors missed
A student's migraines turned out to be a life-threatening condition which could have resulted in a stroke after a routine eye test found blood clots on her brain.
Alex Coupland woke up at Christmas last year with blurred and double vision. The 20-year-university student had already been suffering from migraines which made her feel "sick" - but despite multiple visits to walk-in centres doctors had so far been left stumped.
When the Newcastle University undergraduate made an appointment for a check-up on her eyes in January this year, optometrists were shocked by what they saw, diagnosing her with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis. The condition involves clots on the brain and usually only affects older people.
Thanks to the optometrist, Alex was referred back to the hospital and underwent a lumbar puncture - draining fluid from her spinal cord - to relieve pressure on the brain and prevent a stroke. Alex, a marine zoology student originally from Nottingham, has since been on blood-thinners and is now back to normal health.
Alex's optometrist urged her to go to hospital following her eye appointment (PA Real Life)“I knew something was wrong because I never normally suffer from migraines and I was getting really bad ones," she said. "When the double vision started, I knew I had to get it checked out.
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“I was told if it hadn’t been picked up it could have developed into something much worse and could have potentially become life-threatening, so I am very thankful to my optometrist for caring enough to listen properly to me.” Alex had been at home for Christmas when the migraines came on, making her so nauseous she "couldn't look at light".
But with GPs off during the Christmas week, she instead went to a walk-in centre only to be told she was suffering from "stress-related" migraines. After “about three or four doctor visits” she was still none the wiser as to the cause of her migraines.
When Alex woke one morning shortly after New Year's with blurred and double vision she popped to a local Specsavers where she underwent an OCT scan. Her optometrist told her her optic nerve was "blurred and swollen".
“I didn't even know that was a thing,” she added. “She sent me straight to hospital with a referral note and that’s when I was listened to and got a CT scan.” Doctors there diagnosed Alex.
Alex is now on the mend after being put on blood thinners (PA Real Life)
She spent three weeks in hospital undergoing treatment (PA Real Life)She said: “I’d been feeling ill for a while and was looking for an answer. From looking up things online, I’d found a lot of other worse options like brain tumours and meningitis so to find out that it was blood clots, something I didn’t need brain surgery for, was actually a relief.
“It was a shock but I think I was just grateful that it wasn’t worse and that it was treatable.” As well as undergoing the lumbar puncture at Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham, Alex was given blood thinning injections and saw a neurologist twice a day.
“After two weeks, I was able to go home and I was back at university by February. I’d missed my January exams but I was able to sit them in August and I just threw myself back into my studies once I was well enough.”
She said she was 'grateful' after her optometrist took her symptoms seriously (PA Real Life)Alex had another CT scan in May which showed that the clots were almost gone, with just remnants left which doctors said “could be there forever”. She will need to stay on blood thinners for another four months but other than that, she has said she is “back to normal”. She added: “I’m so glad it was taken seriously at my eye appointment, because this could have been much worse if it was left untreated.”
Gurbeer Sivia, optometrist partner at Specsavers, said: “We have a great relationship with our incredible local NHS teams at Queen’s Medical Centre and so, after examining Alexandra’s eyes, we were able to contact the team at eye casualty to ensure she was seen by a consultant for onward treatment. Her actions in coming to us as soon as possible to get checked out were vital in preventing further potential complications due this rare condition.”
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