A mother is urging others to get their eyes tested after a simple visit to the optician saved her from going blind.

Emma Wilson had not had had a check up in 11 years when she began experiencing blurred vision.

The 42-year-old booked an appointment at Specsavers, in High Street, Barnet, where the optometrist noticed ripples in her right eye and she was eventually diagnosed with a tumour.

She has now lost her sight in her right eye – but the diagnosis saved her from going blind in her left eye.

She said: “This has been an absolutely terrifying ordeal. Although I’ve lost the sight in my right eye, if I hadn’t visited Specsavers when I did I could have lost the sight in my other eye too, as well as experiencing more debilitating headaches, vomiting and even seizures.

“I can’t thank the team at Specsavers enough. They handled the situation so calmly and professionally, I couldn’t have been in safer hands.

“To think that a simple eye test – my first in 11 years – at a high street opticians saved my sight is astonishing.

“After my experience I’ve told all my friends how important it is to visit an opticians regularly. It’s such a quick and easy process and one that can really change your life.”

The rare condition is called bilateral papiledema and she then had to undergo a series of medical procudes to drain the excess fluid, and relive pressure on her brain and optic nerve.

Over the last two years she has been in and out of hospital, and still has to visit a neurologist every six months to monitor her condition.

Pragna Raghwani, Specsavers Barnet ophthalmic director, said: “We’re so pleased that Emma’s treatment has been successful.

“It just goes to show how important an eye examination is, not only in testing your vision, but also in the detection of a number of potentially harmful issues.”