Sight test 'saved life' of woman who had eye removed

In March last year Jacqueline McGeough's eyesight went blurry and her daughter suggested she go for an eye test.

It ended up being an eye test that she believes saved her life.

Jacqueline's optician spotted an abnormal retinal detachment and further investigations revealed a rare type of cancer that required her eye to be removed.

“I was sent to the Mater Hospital in Belfast where my eye was checked and I was told they were 80% sure there was a tumour,” she said.

It was ocular melanoma, eye cancer.

It’s thought that there are around 880 cases of the cancer in the UK each year, although it’s thought that the prevalence could be higher in Ireland.

In a whirlwind six weeks that followed her diagnosis, Jacqueline, from Edenappa outside Jonesborough in south Armagh, had her left eye removed in Sheffield.

“In Sheffield I was told that if it leaked and got into my bloodstream we would have bigger problems,” she said.

“So they scheduled me to have surgery. I hadn’t time to think of anything other than trying to save my life because if it goes to my liver… that’s it.”

“Well, you grieve don’t you when you lose something. But you have to look at the other side.

"You’ve lost an eye but hopefully I’ve gained my life.”

Jacqueline’s artificial eye was then made and fitted at the Shankill Wellbeing and Treatment centre in Belfast.

“Kerry at the centre painted the eye, took a picture of my eye, a mould of my eye and she matched it up quite well I think.

"You wouldn’t notice, but I notice, obviously, because I can’t see. But when I look in the mirror I feel good.”

That said, Jacqueline acknowledges that adapting to life with one eye hasn’t been easy.

“Looking after my eye is difficult. You have to take it out and clean it. I haven’t got my head around that yet.

"In the beginning if I was pouring tea out I would miss the cup. I would spill a lot and I probably broke a few cups.”

Depth perception - being able to see how far away something is from you - usually involved both eyes working together with the brain.

But as time has passed Jacqueline become more confident with her circumstances.

Regular tests and monitoring continue but for now she’s back driving and working as a healthcare supervisor in County Louth.

She says family, friends and colleagues have played a key role in her recovery from a traumatic journey that began with a simple eye test something she believes others need to be aware of.

“It’s very important for people to be aware that this illness is out there and it’s very dangerous – it’s life threatening and you need to look after your eyes and get them checked.”