Former RAF pilot claims routine eye test ‘saved his sight’ after ‘silent menace’ diagnosis

A former Royal Air Force pilot has said his sight was saved after a routine eye test, making him one of the “lucky ones”.

Martin Higgins was diagnosed with glaucoma in 2003 during a routine eye exam and said it was a “silent threat” to his eyesight.

To raise awareness of the disease, which can lead to sight loss, Martin ran 1,000 miles from Land’s End to John o’Groats.

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He said: “A routine eye exam at a local optician revealed that I was suffering from glaucoma, a silent threat to my eyesight. I am one of the lucky ones because that eye exam saved my sight.

“Although I used to fly high above the clouds in a fast jet as a former Red Arrow, on the ground you will most likely find me dutifully applying my glaucoma eye drops every day.”

Regular eye exams and daily eye drops kept him flying, but soon after his diagnosis he became aware of the lack of funding for glaucoma research, the Record writes.

Martin, originally from Buckinghamshire, will travel to Inverness from June 28-30, travelling from Lands End to John O’Groats over 35 days in support of Glaucoma UK. When he arrived in Scotland on June 22, he was greeted by a bagpiper, followed by a flypast by the Red Arrows near Abington.

Martin said he hopes to support research to help others: “I’ve found strength in talking to people. I was talking to a colleague and he told me to have a ‘why’ list – to write down a list of why I’m doing this. I want to help make research possible for the many people who need it.”

“The other ‘why?’ is for my son, and I hope that this research will allow him to not have to worry. So if this research continues to help my son, my family, then that’s my ‘why?'”

More than 700,000 people in the UK are affected by glaucoma, but half of them are unaware they have the condition.

As part of their 50th anniversary this year, Glaucoma UK are encouraging the public to join them in the fight against glaucoma by pledging to take action to raise awareness of the disease.

Martin has already raised over £18,000 and is determined to raise £50,000 for Glaucoma UK’s Pitts Crick Research Grant appeal.

The association hopes that the researcher selected for the three-year fellowship will help transform the diagnosis or treatment of glaucoma.

Glaucoma UK’s Chief Executive expressed her sincere thanks to Martin: “We are incredibly grateful to Martin for taking on this epic challenge of running 1,000 miles to raise awareness for glaucoma.

“His dedication and efforts in supporting the charity and contributing to the Pitts Crick Research Scholarship are truly inspiring. This remarkable achievement not only brings much needed attention to this disease, but will also help to advance glaucoma research to help future generations.”