A 51-year-old mother-of-six from Swindon has said a last-minute appointment at Boots Opticians saved her sight and her life after she was diagnosed with eye cancer. Tammy Jackson experienced a 'quick flash' in her vision followed by sudden blurring, which prompted her to contact the high street retailer. She was seen that same morning, leading to a referral that uncovered a small choroidal melanoma in her right eye.
Ms Jackson said her eyesight had been normal until September 2025, when she noticed a small black fly-like flash while making tea at work. A few days later, she woke up to a blind spot the size of a five-pence piece in the centre of her eye. Boots optometrist Hassan, a Boots Macmillan Optician Professional, identified swelling and a suspicious lesion, referring her urgently to Great Western Hospital. After further tests, she was transferred to Moorfields Eye Hospital in London.
On October 9, Ms Jackson was diagnosed with a choroidal melanoma, a rare eye cancer. She scored four out of five factors on the Moles Scoring Chart, indicating a high suspicion of cancer. Treatment began on November 13 with ophthalmic plaque brachytherapy, where a radioactive plaque was sewn onto her eye for a day and a half. Cancer Research UK notes that the plaque duration depends on tumour thickness.
Ms Jackson, who works in a funeral home, said the hardest part was telling her four children and two step-children about the diagnosis. She had begun planning her funeral, believing her life was over, but now credits the rapid intervention of Boots Opticians with saving her life. Her husband Martin supported her through the process.
