Eye test

Can an eye test detect a brain tumour?

Yes, eye tests can sometimes detect brain tumours. In fact, they can even spot brain tumours before there are any noticeable symptoms, making routine eye tests a good choice if possible.

During an eye test, an optician can identify a brain tumour by either noticing a swelling of the optic disc or seeing pressure on the optic nerve. Both of these can cause changes in vision.  

But, it’s important to remember that eye tests can’t always identify brain tumours. It depends on the type of tumour and where it is in the brain. Still, they are often helpful.

Problems related to brain tumours may include:

• Abnormal eye movements (including a newly acquired turn in the eye)
• Persistent/recurrent headache
• Suspected loss of vision
• Abnormal head position such as wry neck, head tilt or stiff neck
• Blurred or double vision and loss of vision.

Preparing for your eye test

The eye test appointment will probably be fairly short, and it can help to be aware of this so that you can provide the optician with the relevant information. Below are some tips that may be helpful:

• You may like to write a list of any medication you or your child takes. You can refer to this in your appointment or show the optician
• You may want to bring any previous glasses prescriptions for you or your child
• You may want to bring any written documents for any eye health problems you or your child have had in the past
• Try to think back to when you or your child first noticed changes or symptoms and if they have changed or worsened since then
• Keep a diary of any symptoms you may have up until your eye test.

During your appointment

The optician will want to examine you or your child. The optician will usually:

• Check your vision
• Assess the movements of your eye muscles
• Examine the internal and external eye
• Provide you with a spectacle prescription

They may perform extra tests if they feel it is necessary.

Depending on the optician’s findings during your appointment, the outcomes could be:

• 1. Reassurance that you or your child do not have any brain tumour signs that require an urgent referral. The optician should explain his or her reasons for this reassurance. They may refer you or your child to an eye specialist or a GP if they think there may be a different condition that needs investigating.
• You may be referred to a hospital eye department or A&E for other urgent tests. This may be due to a suspicion of a brain tumour or other possible causes.
• For non-urgent further investigation by an eye specialist, you might be sent to the GP for a referral or to a specialist eye department.
• If the optician believes there is an issue which is not related to the eye, he or she may ask you to see your GP.

At the end of the appointment, make sure you know what’s next. For example:

• If you are expecting to be contacted – when and by who?
• If you need to make another appointment, when should this be?

After your eye test

Follow the next steps discussed with the optician. If you don’t hear from your optician or eye specialist within the timeframe you expected to, contact them to follow this up.

Continue to keep a watchful eye on your symptoms. If there are any major changes, phone the optician or, if they are closed, visit A&E.