A standard eye check revealed this Auckland singer was in danger of developing an eye disease that can lead to blindness. Photo / Michelle Hyslop, Michelle Sokolich
A standard eye check revealed this Auckland singer was in danger of developing an eye disease that can lead to blindness. Photo / Michelle Hyslop, Michelle Sokolich
In 2017, Sarah Hannaford-Hill was surprised to learn she was at high risk of developing glaucoma, a disease that can lead to loss of vision.
Bouncing 3-year-old daughter Luna on her knee, Hannaford-Hill casts her mind back to the circumstances that led her to get her eyes checked.
“I was 37 and living a busy life as a mum of my two boys, Jimmy and Tommy, who were 7 and 5 at the time,” she says.
“I was also the lead singer in a band, gigging most weekends and working as a tennis coach. I started to experience headaches. I thought they could be related to my vision, so I quickly booked an eye check with an optometrist.”
It turned out the headaches were the result of a neck injury unrelated to Hannaford-Hill’s eyesight. Then the optometrist discovered something Hannaford-Hill never would have suspected.
“The eye examination revealed I was likely to have an eye condition called narrow anterior chamber angles, a precursor to glaucoma, an eye disease that can eventually lead to blindness,” she says.
A visit to a specialist at Greenlane Eye Clinic confirmed the diagnosis.
“I was in the high-risk category for developing glaucoma.”
Sometimes called the “silent thief of sight”, glaucoma is the term for a group of eye diseases that damage the optic nerve. If left untreated, glaucoma will lead to irreversible loss of sight and even blindness.
“I didn’t know much at all about glaucoma before this,” Hannaford-Hill admits. “I had heard the term before, but that’s about it.”
About 50 per cent of people in New Zealand with glaucoma are unaware they have it. There are many different types of glaucoma and most people experience no symptoms in the early stages.
However, if caught early or in its precursor point, as in Sarah’s case, there are treatments available that will stop the disease from progressing. This makes glaucoma the leading cause of preventable blindness in New Zealand.
I just remember feeling very grateful that I got a check when I did. I felt grateful for those headaches, to be honest!” Photo / Michelle Hyslop, Michelle Sokolich
As well as being rattled by the unexpected news, Hannaford-Hill recalls feeling a fresh appreciation for her sight.
“I remember thinking the awful thought of not being able to see my children every day or do the things that we love to do together, plus not being able to perform and sing in bands, which is my passion, or play tennis any more,” she laments. “All the things in my life that I used to take for granted would be gone.”
Hannaford-Hill credits the eye check for sparing her vision. “I just remember feeling very grateful that I got a check when I did. I felt grateful for those headaches, to be honest!”
Shortly after her diagnosis, Hannaford-Hill underwent a laser surgery called a peripheral iridotomy. This procedure opens up the fluid drainage angle in the eye to reduce the risk of an acute angle closure attack, which can cause severe loss of vision.
Woman's Day.
“It’s kind of a bit of a blur, literally!” puns Hannaford-Hill, recounting the treatment. “It was very quick. And after having that done, I just had a massive sense of relief. I didn’t have to worry. Although I am still at risk for glaucoma, it has been stopped in its tracks.”
Five years on, the experience is a distant memory for Hannaford-Hill, who is enjoying raising her three kids, spending her time between Northland and Auckland, and singing centre stage in both pop-rock cover band Karma and ‘80s cover band 80sX.
However, the glaucoma scare has certainly altered Hannaford-Hill’s approach to her health.
“The fact that there can be absolutely no symptoms at all with glaucoma has made me realise that we have to take the initiative with our health in order to preserve it, not wait for something to go wrong,” she reflects.
Sarah Hannaford-Hill and her band Karma.
“That’s why I continue to recommend that everyone I know gets regular eye-health checks – just go and get it done,” she urges.
This is an especially important message for those who may not have vision issues and are less likely to visit the optometrist on a regular basis.
“I’ve always had good eyesight and I still have pretty good eyesight,” Sarah says.
“Getting an eye-health test is simple and painless, and there’s absolutely nothing to be worried about. Now I know just how important they are to protect and preserve your vision.”
Professor Helen Danesh-Meyer, chairwoman of Glaucoma New Zealand, backs up Hannaford-Hill’s cautionary tale.
“Sarah’s story highlights how having regular eye-health checks, including an optic nerve test, is so important,” she says. “This March, for New Zealand’s Glaucoma Awareness Month, we encourage Kiwis aged 40+ to head along to their local optometrist for an eye check.
“With early identification, glaucoma disease progression can be slowed. An eye-health check is a simple and painless experience that protects your sight so you can keep doing all the things you enjoy.”
