Sean Lowe, 32, was experiencing headaches that occurred during periods of heightened stress. When his headaches becoming more frequent, Sean’s family encouraged him to seek medical advice. His symptoms were dismissed until a routine optician appointment revealed unusual pressure behind an optic nerve. Sean was referred to hospital where an MRI scan revealed he had an astrocytoma. Determined to make a difference, Sean wants to raise awareness of this disease and the importance of routine eye checks.
Sean tells his story…
It all started in June 2024 when I began having headaches. I thought nothing of it and ignored them for a while, putting them down to stress from my work schedule and our new son who wasn't sleeping through the night. Other than that, life was normal, there were no signs or concerns.
Initially, I didn’t think much of the headaches, as they seemed to coincide with stressful periods.
By August, my headaches were becoming more frequent. My family urged me to visit the GP, hoping to understand the cause of them. My GP suggested that stress and lack of sleep were likely the cause behind my headaches.
Relieved it was nothing serious, no further tests or treatments were recommended, and I went home.
The headaches started to become more intense, but because they always coincided with life pressures, I still thought nothing of it. Around the same time, my employer suggested that I have an eye test. My job involves me spending long hours in front of a computer screen, and although I thought my vision was fine, as the company was bearing the cost, decided to go along with it. It’s something I wouldn’t have done had I been responsible for the cost myself.
I went to the opticians for my eye test on 4 September 2024. During the examination, the optician noticed an unusual amount of pressure behind both of my optic nerves. This pressure, the optician explained, could be the cause of my headaches. The optician referred me to the hospital for further investigation.
An appointment came through immediately, and the next day I went to the ophthalmology department at North Devon District Hospital (NDDH). The doctor confirmed the presence of significant pressure behind both optic nerves and recommended further examination, including a brain scan, to understand the underlying cause.
On September 14, 2024 I had an MRI scan at NDDH.
Within 30 minutes of leaving the hospital, panic struck when I got a call, they phoned so quickly I knew something was wrong. They asked me to go back immediately.
Preliminary results from the MRI revealed two cysts on my brain, one of which was significantly larger than the other. The report was immediately forwarded to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth for further evaluation.
After waiting for what felt like a lifetime, we received news that I needed to be transferred immediately. After being blue lighted, I arrived at Derriford Hospital in the early hours of the morning.
It was when I was in the ambulance enroute to Derriford the realisation hit me that this was serious. My mind thought of my family and if I needed surgery I had to see them before the operation.
On arrival, doctors evaluated my condition and determined that, because I was physically well and showing no neurological deficits, immediate surgery was not necessary.
I was thankful I didn't have to go straight to theatre because my wife and son were still two hours away and my parents were also a few hours away. It meant I would be able to see my family before surgery.
However, they did confirm that surgery would be required to address the cysts. They diagnosed me with a Cystic Space-Occupying Lesion (SOL), which would require a craniotomy to drain the largest cyst and remove a small tumour attached to one of them.
I had to undergo several days of observation and preparation, I had a right frontal craniotomy on September 18th, 2024 which lasted approximately five hours. Thankfully I was otherwise in good health and was able to walk around unaided later that evening. The surgery had successfully removed part of the tumour and drained the cysts, although they could not remove all of the fluid in one go due to concerns about leaving too large a gap in the brain.
By September 20th, I was recovering well and was discharged from hospital. I continue to undergo quarterly MRI scans to monitor my condition. The tumour was confirmed as a benign pilocytic astrocytoma, and although not all the fluid had been drained, the doctors were confident that the remaining fluid would eventually dissipate on its own.
The doctors believe I am in the clear, and I am thankful that my life was saved.
Reflecting on my experience, I have now become a strong advocate for regular eye tests. Opticians can pick up more than just vision problems. They can identify underlying issues, such as the pressure I had behind my eyes, which would have gone unnoticed.
Had I ignored the headaches or avoided the eye test, my condition would have gone undiagnosed for much longer, potentially leading to more severe consequences.
What scares me the most, is that I almost didn’t seek help. To me, my symptoms weren’t overly concerning. I can imagine there are others out there who might feel the same way, thinking their symptoms don’t warrant further investigation. But reaching out to a GP is definitely the first step in the right direction. GPs may not have all the equipment needed to diagnose brain tumours, but opticians do. I was just fortunate enough to visit the opticians at the right time.
Through my experience, I hope to inspire others to take their symptoms seriously, seek medical advice when in doubt, and consider the wider range of tests that may be available.
Sean Lowe
April 2025