Hannah Mockler: “I could have been left with permanent damage to my vision”

The combination of these symptoms along with results from peripheral tests raised “red flags” for optometrist Sameer Mistry who arranged for an urgent referral.

OT spoke to the pair about the appointment, the signs and symptoms, and how this led to a diagnosis of an autoimmune disease.

What did you identify during the sight test and what was your reaction?

Sameer Mistry (SM), optometrist, Scrivens Opticians & Hearing Care in Alfreton: Hannah’s standard eye test came back normal for her current prescription, but when I carried out further peripheral field tests the results raised red flags. Given that she’d described sudden loss of peripheral vision and difficulty recognising faces, I knew straight away that this needed investigating further.

How did you approach explaining what you suspected?

SM: Without alarming her more than necessary, I explained to Hannah that, while her eyesight itself looked fine, the symptoms she was describing, combined with the peripheral test results, meant that she needed urgent medical attention.

What were the next steps that you took, and what was the significance of these steps to this case?

SM: We sent Hannah straight to accident and emergency with her eye test results. That gave the hospital immediate evidence to act on, rather than Hannah having to describe her symptoms from scratch. She was admitted and spent nine days in hospital undergoing further tests, which led to her multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis.

Hannah’s description of sudden changes and difficulty recognising faces was as important as the test results themselves

When did you hear about the results of your referral and how have you been involved since?

SM: I saw Hannah again a few months ago and it was good to know that we had been able to help save her vision. She is now learning to adjust to life with MS, and it means a lot to have played a part in getting her the care she needed.

What would be your three top tips to other practitioners when making a referral?

SM:

1. Never dismiss visual symptoms as insignificant just because the standard eye test looks normal – always run peripheral or further tests if something doesn’t add up
2. Listen carefully to how a patient describes their symptoms, not just what the numbers show. Hannah’s description of sudden changes and difficulty recognising faces was as important as the test results themselves
3. Act quickly and give the patient something concrete to take with them, such as test results, when referring for urgent care, as it speeds up how fast hospitals can act.

Hannah Mockler shares her story

Scrivens Opticians & Hearing Care Alfreton

“In the lead-up to Christmas, while working at my local supermarket, I noticed I couldn’t read barcodes in the bottom right periphery of my eyes. I put it down to the artificial lighting at first, but over the next couple of days it got worse and I started finding it hard to recognise faces, so I booked an eye test straight away.

“Sameer explained that, although my prescription hadn’t changed, the results from the extra tests weren’t something he could ignore and that he wanted me to get checked over properly straight away. He kept me calm but was clear that I needed urgent attention.

“Sameer arranged for me to go straight to A&E with my results so the hospital had everything they needed from the start. I remember feeling quite frightened at the time, but also reassured that he was taking it so seriously.

“I spent nine days in hospital undergoing further tests which revealed I have multiple sclerosis. My eyesight is back to normal now after intense steroid treatment, but I’m having more tests before starting my medication. Looking back, I’d had MS symptoms for years – tingling and numbness in my fingers and hands, bladder issues – but it was never raised as a possibility when I mentioned them to my GP.

“I’d urge anyone to have regular eye tests as they can reveal so much about your general health. Without one, I could have been left with permanent damage to my vision. The team at Scrivens were amazing. They were so thorough and caring and I can’t thank them enough.”