'My eyesight might have been saved if I'd gone to the optician sooner'

A woman who has been left partially blind after a long wait for medical assistance said she wishes she had gone to an optician when she first had symptoms because her vision may have been saved. In July 2025, Gail Cairns, a Belfast woman, started losing sight, and experienced headaches and eye pain, but she waited four days before getting her eyes checked. She was immediately referred to the hospital for care after being scanned at an optician's under a free NHS service. She had a serious eye disease that had caused permanent damage.
The Northern Ireland Primary Eyecare Assessment and Referral Scheme (NIPEARS) is a service provided by most optometry practices across Northern Ireland for patients with a sudden eye disease.
Mrs. Cairns was diagnosed with Non-Arteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy (NA-AION). The optician's detailed scans revealed damage to her optic nerves as a result of swelling in her brain. She was treated with steroids in hospital to reduce the swelling, but "unfortunately the harm had been done." It has been "life-changing," and she can no longer drive. "I had no idea about this illness and how quickly things can change," she said. "I would have gone on Monday. I'm sure that I'd still be able to drive and do all the normal stuff that I was doing."
The 60-year-old said that everyday activities such as cooking, going up and down stairs, reading to her grandchildren, and putting on make-up are now impossible. However, she said the "hardest part was sitting on the bed when my three-year-old granddaughter was sleeping, and I couldn't make out any of her features. I just had a lump in my throat, and it felt like someone punched me in the stomach. It was the first time I cried over it," she said.
Mrs. Cairns had annual eye examinations as a result of a family history of glaucoma, but she wanted to remind anyone with sudden changes in their eyes to act quickly. "Even with the tiniest change—don't put it off—get it seen by an optician right away." She is thankful that she has not lost her sight completely.
An optometrist is a primary care provider who specialises in detecting and correcting conditions that affect vision and eye health. An optometrist is trained to spot abnormalities in eyes, and many provide enhanced services, such as same-day NIPEARS appointments for urgent eye care problems, such as how Mrs. Cairns was seen.
The service has been operating since 2018, with more than 80% of practices providing the service, including Sam Baird's in Dundonald, where Mrs. Cairns went.
"Gail came in at 4 o'clock on Friday afternoon with swollen eyes and not able to see clearly. We have drops to make her eyes more comfortable. We scanned her and found that she needed urgent care at the hospital," he said. He was able to provide her with the optic nerve scans, "which are diagnostic of the condition," which meant she was admitted immediately rather than waiting for hours. Mrs. Cairns could start receiving medical attention right away, which meant they could begin treatment right away.
Mr. Baird stressed the importance of getting your eyes checked as soon as signs arise, as vision loss can happen very quickly. Although Mr. Cairns' situation is unusual, he claims that if she'd arrived earlier in the week there may have been a different result. "Those are the rare situations in which [an early visit can make] a dramatic difference."
Opticians have the specialised equipment to perform accurate scans and an accurate investigation of the eyes, something that the emergency room and GPs don't have. "The NIPEARS system is reducing pressure on two ends of the health service," according to Mr. Baird. "We're taking the pressure off the GPs by taking care of minor eye disorders, and we're putting pressure on the ophthalmology hospital clinics because they aren't packed with unnecessary referrals," he said.
According to the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), every day 250 people start to lose their sight in the United Kingdom, which is equivalent to one person every six minutes. According to the charity, more than two million people in the United Kingdom are blind or partially blind, and half of them have a long-term irreversible eye disorder. According to the RNIB, the number of people with sight loss in the UK could double to more than four million by 2050.
The Department of Health (DoH) highlighted "the critical role of community optometry" in improving access to health and influencing Northern Ireland's future of eye care in September 2025. People should check their eyes, according to Raymond Curran, DoH's Head of Ophthalmic Services, because "50 percent of all sight loss is avoidable." Since GPs are experiencing capacity issues, he said "primary care optometrists" should be the first port of call for eyes. Eye services in ED are struggling to cope with increased demand. The DoH said it is committed to making it possible for patients to get the healthcare it needs, and that community optometry shows how services delivered closer to home can identify issues early, reduce waiting lists, and ease pressure on hospitals.