Optometrist’s quick action helps diagnose girl with brain tumour

A FATHER is stressing the importance of eye tests after his daughter’s trip to Specsavers helped to uncover a potentially life-threatening brain tumour.

Dean Delaney had noticed that his daughter, Bella Rose, aged 12, was suffering with persistent and severe headaches for two months since Christmas of 2021 which was causing her and her family some concern.

Dean took it upon himself to book an appointment with Specsavers Crumlin, who thankfully were able to carry out an eye test and then an OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography) scan, which helped to identify the issue causing Bella Rose’s headaches.

Thanks to the quick action and care from the team at Specsavers Crumlin, Bella Rose was able to receive a prompt diagnosis of her tumour as well as extensive medical care to support her rehabilitation.

Dean states: ‘We are immensely grateful to the team at Specsavers Crumlin, most particularly to Daibheid for taking the time to undergo additional testing to find the route of Bella Rose’s headaches. Without the OCT scan, we would not have been able to identify the tumour and things could have gone very differently. I want to stress the importance of not only getting standard eye tests, but to ask for additional testing to if you feel something deeper is causing an issue. Aside from the headaches, Bella Rose had no additional symptoms that would have been typical of a brain tumour, so we really are thankful that Daibheid was able to get us on the right track to a diagnosis.’

Before experiencing these symptoms, Bella Rose was an avid reader and played soccer for her local team at St. John’s Bosco Football club as well as participating in regular dance classes. Once Bella Rose started experiencing these severe headaches, she found herself unable to play sports and enjoy reading as she normally would.

Bella Rose visited her GP with her father but found that her headaches were still persisting. Dean booked a sight test with Specsavers Crumlin to try and get answers.

During Bella Rose’s visit, she and her father explained her symptoms and was advised to undergo an eye test. From the eye test, optometrist Daibheid McHugh could see that Bella Rose had 20:20 vision, but based on the appearance of her retina he decided to perform an OCT scan for further clarity on her headaches. This is a non-invasive imaging test that uses light waves to take cross-section pictures of the eye, allowing the optometrist to see each of the retina’s distinctive layers and the optic nerves which carry signals between the eye and the brain. With this test, Daibheid was able to confirm papilloedema which is a swelling of the optic nerves. Based on the results of Bella Rose’s examinations and scans, he prioritised her case and urgently referred her to Crumlin Children’s hospital where she was seen to immediately and diagnosed with a brain tumour.

Bella Rose was transferred to Temple Street Children’s Hospital where she underwent two surgeries to remove the brain tumour.

Following Bella’s recovery, she visited Specsavers Crumlin with her father to thank the team and especially Daibheid for all their support and expert knowledge which could have saved her life.

Dean commended the team for their outstanding customer service. He stated that Bella Rose’s family were immensely grateful to Daibheid and his team at Specsavers for going above and beyond the call of duty and their support and professional expertise at a difficult time.

Daibheid adds: ‘Bella Rose’s case was a severe and complex one, and I am happy that her father brought her in for the Eye Test when he did, as things may have proved even more serious without intervention. She truly is a brave girl, and I am beyond delighted that she is making such a good recovery.’

Bella Rose is now on her way to a full recovery and will continue to attend Temple Street Hospital for follow ups on her condition.

Once she has made a full recovery, she intends to go back to her passions of playing soccer, dancing, and reading.

Bella Rose’s father, Dean, will be running in the Dublin Marathon to raise fund for Temple Street Children’s Hospital to help other sick children who may be in a similar situation.

Specsavers Crumlin have made an initial pledge of €500 to support Dean and urge anyone who feels compelled to donate to the cause to do so through the link here: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Dean-Delany