Irish woman goes blind after mistaking symptoms of brain tumour for migraine

'I had to learn how to be a blind person but I also had to learn that people will treat you differently'

Ms Shorten mistook symptoms of a brain tumour for tension headaches (Science Photo Library )

An Irish woman went blind after mistaking the symptoms of a brain tumour for a migraine.

Claire Shorten started taking painkillers for severe migraines in 2011, which her GP later diagnosed as tension headaches.

However, during a routine eye test later that month, the optician sent her straight to hospital after she was unable to see a white light on the screen in front of her.

An MRI scan showed a brain tumour and the 23-year-old from Ballinteer was rushed in for surgery.

However, shortly after the operation, Ms Shorten’s eyesight started to deteriorate.

"I just assumed it was meant to get worse before it got better. It literally went from the week before surgery I had pretty much close to perfect eyesight to three weeks after I had nothing. I could still see shadows and shapes in my right eye but it was very limited," she told Her.ie.

However, when she returned to the hospital for investigatory tests, she was told her eyesight was gone for good, with doctors baffled as to the cause.

“I just came home and told my family and friends. I went from being fully independent to being fully dependent. I used to be able to drive my own car, go out the door and do whatever I wanted to do. I totally lost my independence,” she said.

She also told how she struggled to come to terms with her disability and the reactions of others to her dependence.

"I had to learn how to be a blind person but I also had to learn that people will treat you differently. For instance, I would be sitting right beside my dad and people would say things like 'Oh Eugene would Claire like a cup of tea?' - there would be a lot of things like that,” she explained.

However, in 2012 a National Council for the Blind of Ireland (NCBI) community worker started helping her to adjust to her new life.

Speaking of the NCBI’s rehabilitation training centre, she said: "I have to say from the minute I walked in it was just like a second home. There were other blind people there, people that have worked with blind people, people who are friends with blind people. I never knew a blind person before so it was just a total relief."

Claire has since returned to college and undertaken activities she never dreamed of before the tumour.

“So many other doors have opened for me. I've been skiing, I never thought I would ever go skiing. I was skydiving, I've been to Denmark. Somehow losing my eyesight has given me the opportunity to travel the world. More social things are happening with blind people,” she said.

"After all this time I am actually very proud to be a blind person.”