Optometrist a Hero in Stellenbosch!

If there is one sense I treasure most, it is my eyes!

When I realised I was struggling to read out of my right eye, and with a desire for funky prescription glasses, I found myself more than 50km from home at Vision In Focus in Stellenbosch.

The frames I had spotted in Cape Town were more cost effective in oak-lined Dorp Street, but what I didn’t expect was to meet the most amazing, thorough and compassionate optometrist: Leigh Fourie. She not only diagnosed a detached retina but also discovered a choroidal melanoma.

When I later looked at the records from my previous optometrist, I could see that the tumour had already started two years ago, but no referral had been made to an ophthalmologist for further investigation. Never mind, these things happen for a reason, and Leigh’s keen eye ensured I was sitting with one of the top ocular oncologists on the continent within 7 days of her diagnosis.

And Leigh didn’t stop there. Her daily WhatsApp check-ins, her patience, and her ability to explain complex things in a language I could actually understand were nothing short of incredible.

I call Leigh my hero. Thanks to her, I received radiation therapy in time, and now I have a clear healthcare plan going forward with six-monthly check-ups. This type of eye cancer likes to travel to the liver and lungs, so early detection was lifesaving.

So, if you’re seeing “floaters” or have any other eye concerns, please don’t delay, have an eye test today. And if you’re looking for an expert with a heart of gold and an eye for the smallest detail, contact the Vision In Focus team in Stellenbosch. The whole team is simply incredible. You’ll be in the very best hands.