“Optician saved me from blindness”

Pramod-Ray Patel, of Insight Opticians on Packers Row in Chesterfield was at a seminar last month when he noticed business coach, Jay Allen, repeatedly rubbing his eyes.

“He approached me and insisted he visit his opticians for an appointment the following morning” said Jay, who was visiting the area from his home in Leeds. “He spent two hours taking pictures of my eyes, doing 3D images. At the end he said he noticed a shadow he was unhappy with.”

Mr Patel referred Jay to a GP, and two days later he got a call from the hospital asking him to come in immediately.

“I started to panic,” said Jay. “It was only then that I realised it was an emergency situation and that I had been being blasé about it.”

When Jay arrived at the hospital in Leeds he was taken to surgery where he underwent a two hour operation to repair two tears to his retina.

“The ophthalmic surgeon told me I owe my sight to Pramod-Ray,” said Jay. “Four weeks later I would have woken up blind in one eye.”said Jay. “Four weeks later I would have woken up blind in one eye.”

Optician Pramod-Ray, added: “I was pleased with the result and the outcome was amazing, even if I do say so myself.

“The minimum time I spend with patients is 45 minutes to ensure I deliver the gold standard of care.”