Brain Tumour Awareness Week started on the 29th of October and is running until the 5th of November. Awareness will be raised this week through several mediums, including social media campaigns, sponsored walks, and various fundraising events. The more that we can shout about the symptoms and signs of a brain tumour, the better; it could be essential in helping others to identify if something may be wrong.

As an online eye testing platform, we’re aware of how important eye tests can be in identifying if there’s a problem that needs attention. How can an eye test help? It identifies symptoms that may be related to a brain tumour as well as identifying other health conditions too.

A regular routine eye test can detect problems that we may not even know are there. An optometrist can often discover issues that indicate a brain tumour before the individual even notices any signs or symptoms. Brain Tumour Research have stated that,

“An eye test is good at identifying swelling of the optic nerve (a condition called papilledema) and can also identify when there is pressure on the optic nerve.”

This allows for an optometrist to recommend further investigation which can often lead to life saving discoveries and treatments. Here are some eye symptoms that need to be looked out for below. If you experience any of these it’s important to visit your doctor or optometrist to talk about your concerns.

Squinting

Worsening vision

Blurred or double vision

Restricted field of vision, loss of peripheral vision, blind spots

Problems with looking upwards or controlling eye movements

Abnormal eye movements such as flickering eyes

Head tilt, usually because the patient is turning to see things out of the corner of their eye rather than looking straight at them

Brief loss, blurring or “greying out” of vision, sometimes triggered by coughing, sneezing or bending down

As the tumour grows, it may cause the eyeball to bulge forwards. This is known as proptosis.

It’s important to note that these are only symptoms related to eyes, be sure to check all symptoms to be aware of, here. This is an important awareness week and we’re keen to share more about regular eye testing. Make sure to share what information you can with your patients, networks, family and friends; it might just save a life.