When Louise Cook booked a check-up at her local opticians, little did she know that it would become a life-changing experience.

Now Louise, 34, from Bradford, is urging people to ensure they make regular trips to the opticians, after a tumour at the back of her eye was spotted during a routine appointment.

Louise had spent more than six years living overseas and upon her return to the UK she booked an eye check-up at Specsavers on Darley Street in Bradford city centre.

She hadn’t suffered from any eye problems previously, but had been informed nearly a decade ago that she had a mole at the back of her eye. It wasn’t a cause for concern at the time, so Louise had thought little of it over the past nine years.

“Having spent the last few years living outside of the UK, I decided to make a routine eye appointment when I got back home last year. I hadn’t been suffering from any eye problems, but during the appointment the optician, Mohammed Imran, said he wasn’t happy with what he saw and that the mole we’d known about had grown in size,” says Louise.

The optician told Louise he wanted to refer her straight to Bradford Royal Infirmary.

“At that time I thought he was just being over-cautious,” she says.

However, following a full examination at the BRI, a consultant confirmed that Louise had a suspected tumour and she would need to be referred to a hospital in Sheffield for immediate treatment.

“When the consultant said they were going to be treating me for a tumour, it hit me how serious the situation had become,” says Louise.

“As Bradford Royal Infirmary didn’t have the facilities available for this type of procedure I had to be referred to Sheffield hospital.”

On December 9, 2013, a few weeks after her initial appointment at Specsavers, Louise went in for radiation treatment in order to reduce the size of the tumour.

Now, following a recent appointment, Louise is making a good recovery. She says her tumour has decreased in size and her sight has actually improved as a result of the treatment.

“I didn’t think I had anything wrong with my eyes, but I ended up needing immediate treatment. If I hadn’t had my eyes tested then who knows? Within a few months I could have lost my sight, or worse,” she adds.

‘I would urge more people to go and get their eyes tested - we get other parts of our body regularly checked, why not our eyes! It’s a thing people often neglect - it had been three to four years since my last check-up.

“I’d like to say thank you to the team at Specsavers as the service I received was outstanding. I’d also like to thank the staff at BRI, Sheffield Royal Hallamshire and the support I’ve received from family, friends and Bradford Cancer Support Services.”

Optical Director Mike Dearlove, at Bradford Darley Street Specsavers said: “We had previously spotted Miss Cook’s mole at the back of her eye, several years before.

“When we discovered it had grown in size, we knew something wasn’t right and that she needed to get this seen to at the hospital immediately.

“Louise came in to see us for a routine eye examination; it just goes to show how important it is to get your eyes tested on a regular basis.

“People think eye tests are only to test your vision, but regular optical checks, at least every two years, can help discover any underlying health issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure or even cardiovascular disease.

“Eye examinations last just 30 minutes and can really help find any early signs of a medical condition.

‘I cannot stress how important it is for people to have their eyes tested regularly, at least every two years. Your eyes are the window to your health.

“We’re pleased that Louise is now back to her normal routine. She regularly visits the store to thank the team for their support.”

For more information visit specsavers.co.uk/bradford.