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A Scarva dairy farmer came close to suffering serious eye damage just weeks before his wedding in March this year, after a welding accident on his farm led to emergency treatment at Specsavers in Newry.
Lewis Williamson met Chloe Woods in 2019 and got engaged in 2024. Woods works as a supervisor at Specsavers Newry, and it was her knowledge of the store's services that prompted Williamson to seek help after he got something in his eye following a welding session on his farm, around six weeks before the wedding.
Woods explained: "Lewis is a dairy farmer. I'm very used to him putting his cattle's health before his own, him telling me 'I'm grand' and working long, long hours to get all the jobs done around the farm. Lewis texted me one day to tell me he'd gotten something in his eye after he had been welding."
Williamson was seen that evening by Will Stevenson, one of the optician directors at Specsavers Newry. Using a slit lamp, a medical grade microscope, Stevenson found that a small metal fragment had become embedded in Williamson's cornea, caused by shrapnel from a spark that ignited unexpectedly after he had removed his mask.
Specsavers Newry offers the NIPEARS service, the Northern Ireland Primary Eyecare Assessment and Referral Service, an NHS-funded scheme allowing patients with sudden, acute eye problems to receive quick assessments from accredited local optometrists rather than attending a GP or hospital. Stevenson is also a prescribing optometrist, qualified to diagnose eye conditions and prescribe medication.
Stevenson explained: "The fragment was causing Lewis irritation, and if left, could've caused more inflammation which would've required further medical treatment. I was able to extract the piece of shrapnel from Lewis's eye using a sterile needle, taking away the risk of infection or any vision-threatening scarring and successfully resolving Lewis's eye injury, sending him home with eye drops to prevent any possible infections."
Williamson left the Newry store with a new pair of safety goggles and now wears them during farm work. Stevenson noted that farming carries a range of eye health risks, from airborne debris such as grass, stones, metal fragments and dust, to chemical exposure from pesticides, fertilisers and cleaning agents, as well as bacteria from animals and organic materials.
Woods said she was relieved her colleagues were able to help: "I'm lucky that I knew what we could offer and how we could help Lewis. I want everyone who works in the agriculture sector to know we are here and we are ready to help, should they ever need us."
With the Balmoral Show taking place from 13 to 16 May, Specsavers is encouraging farmers to consider their eye and ear health. The company will have a team at stand EK69 in the Eikon Shopping Village throughout the four days, offering simulation specs, free hearing screenings and appointments for those who may need a full eye test or hearing check at their local store. Specsavers has 24 stores across the north, as well as two Home Visits teams.
