Teenager Sabrina Bell first began to feel unwell after starting university and was frequently sick but mistakenly thought it was due to a stomach bug and university lifestyle.
"It felt like a normal examination except that he asked for one of his colleagues to also check out what he had noticed at the back of my eye"
It was not until she returned home, where she lives with her parents and brother, that she realised it could be more serious.
The 19-year-old explained: "When I went home I noticed I had double vision. I was worried as I was also experiencing other symptoms such as dizziness and headaches and although my eyesight has always been completely fine I thought it best to visit an optician.
"I had seen that Specsavers in Kidderminster was offering £5 eye tests to I made an appointment for that week. My appointment was with optometrist Thomas Calvert. It felt like a normal examination except that he asked for one of his colleagues to also check out what he had noticed at the back of my eye."
What happened next changed Sabrina's life forever.
"He immediately called Kidderminster hospital and booked me in for an emergency appointment with the ophthalmology department with an eye specialist. I went for the appointment that same day.
"At the hospital I had a number of tests and an emergency MRI scan. They called me the next day to arrange for me to see a specialist at Worcestershire Royal Hospital the day after. It was here that I was diagnosed with a brain tumour.
"I was diagnosed with a brain tumour"
"My family were completely distraught when they found out. Obviously I was too but I thought it was important to be strong for my family and not show much it had affected me.
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"I was operated on the next day by a specialist brain surgeon at Coventry University Hospital, where the size and type of tumour, known as a meningioma, stunned surgeons as it would normally only be found in people over the age of 70.
"Before they’d started operating they thought the tumour was about the size of a fist, but once they started they realised it was a lot bigger, more like the size of a small melon."
Amazingly, however, doctors were able to remove the entire tumour
"Thankfully they were able to remove the entire tumour. I was extremely fortunate to make good progress with my initial recovery and was discharged from hospital later that week.
"The doctors said that it usually takes about a year to fully recover from this kind of surgery but, because of my age and healthy lifestyle my recovery should be quicker. I’m starting to feel more like myself again now but it will be a while until I’m completely back to normal.
"There’s one final MRI scan at the end of the month just to confirm I’m all clear."
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"I’ve had to take a gap year from my Bio-veterinary course as I’ve been advised to not do activities that require too much concentration. I still want to do something productive with my time so I’m planning of getting a part time job until I can go back to Uni.
"It’s so weird to think that I’ve sat my GCSEs, A Levels and driving test all the time suffering with a brain tumour I didn’t even know about."
Sabrina added: "I really do encourage people to get regular eye checks. I can't imagine how much my life may have changed if I hadn't had made that eye appointment! I have never treasured my life so much and I am so appreciative of the support I've had from all of my family and friends.'
Sabrina’s optometrist at Specsavers Kidderminster, Thomas Calvert says: "While conditions like Sabrina’s are extremely rare, during an appointment we are able to check not only for changes in vision, but we can spot other health conditions such as diabetes.
This underlines the importance of having routine eye examinations and we recommend a visit to the opticians at least once every two years."
To book your own eye test, visit the Specsavers website now.