A WOMAN holidaying in Teignmouth has praised opticians for their sight-saving diagnosis and caring for her beloved dog.

Beverley Pears was visiting with her 11-year-old cavapoo, Lola, when the vision in her left eye suddenly went cloudy and she could see ‘wiggly’ lines.

She Googled the symptoms and found she possibly had a torn retina, but didn’t want to leave Lola alone in unfamiliar surroundings.

A torn retina often leads to a more serious detached retina where the retina is lifted away from the back of the eye and permanent blindness can happen in days.

Beverley went to the Specsavers Teignmouth store, where staff took care of Lola while Beverley underwent an emergency assessment.

Beverley, from Nottingham, said: ‘They put me at ease about Lola straightaway, and the optician confirmed I had a small tear in my retina.

‘I was trying to think of somewhere that would look after Lola, because I was on holiday alone and without leaving her with someone I could trust, I couldn’t go to hospital. I really would have put Lola’s wellbeing ahead of my own.’

Staff arranged to take care of the dog themselves while Beverley was given an appointment at Torbay Hospital and received laser treatment the same day. 

Beverley said: ‘I can’t thank them enough, their expert assessment probably saved me from further damage and possible sight loss in my left eye.

‘For the store to take my worry about Lola away so I could concentrate on my eye, it’s incredible.

‘All the time I was in hospital, I was confident Lola was getting lots of fuss and treats – and now she tries to go into Specsavers stores at every opportunity.’

Signs of a torn retina can include flashing lights, many new floaters, and a shadow appearing in the peripheral vision.

Sam Roberts, director at the Specsavers Teignmouth store, says: ‘We were thrilled to look after Lola, who’s such a lovely dog, and we’re so glad Mrs Pears had such a positive outcome.

‘It’s situations like this that show how important it is to be aware of your sight and how it changes.’