Eye Doctor Recounts a Life-Saving Discovery and Who Inspired Him to Become an Optometrist
A Routine Eye Exam Takes a Startling Turn
Several years ago, optometrist and retired Army Captain Dr. Steve Looysen was examining a 26-year-old young man who came in for a routine visit. As Dr. Looysen evaluated his patient, he found his vision was 20/20 and his external eye health was unremarkable.
Then, as part of the exam, he began looking at the inside of his eye and discovered the patient had papilledema, an eye condition that occurs when pressure in the brain makes the optic nerve head swell.
“This was a significant finding,” said Dr. Looysen. “Papilledema can be life-threating and caused by several underlying conditions so, I needed to act fast.”
Dr. Looysen immediately scheduled his patient to see a neurologist the next day and learned that the discovery turned out to be a life-threatening brain tumor, which can cause papilledema. The young man underwent surgery the same day as his appointment – the day after his eye exam.
“That diagnosis was even more significant to me because when the patient came in, he had only commented on having a few mild headaches over the past week or two leading up to the exam and had brushed them off as stress,” said Dr. Looysen.
Dr. Looysen reconnected with the young man months later after he had recovered from his surgery, and he was doing great.
Finding a papilledema during an eye exam doesn’t happen every day, but Dr. Looysen’s discovery emphasizes the importance of annual check-ins with your local eye doctor, no matter your age and even if you aren’t aware of any vision or health changes. In fact, eye doctors have a unique vantage point into the eye that can help them detect signs of more than 270 systemic and chronic diseases, and oftentimes, before any symptoms show.
A Life of Service
From a young age, Dr. Looysen knew he wanted a career in healthcare inspired by his second cousin who was born blind. They were around the same age and grew up together, and Dr. Looysen recalls watching him struggle in several aspects of his life.
“When my cousin graduated college, I was so proud of him and the life he’d created for himself despite his challenges, but I knew I didn’t want to see anyone else suffer due to vision loss,” he said.
Dr. Looysen was so inspired by his cousin that he chose the field of optometry over the medical and dental fields he’d been contemplating.
Ever since, Dr. Looysen has dedicated himself to protecting and preserving patients’ eyesight whenever possible.
“I realized how much beauty we take for granted – the first smile from your baby, the beauty of the mountains and sky - and so optometry was my calling,” he said. “Next to life itself, our most precious gift is vision.”
Optometry is now a family affair with one of Dr. Looysen’s sons being an optometrist, while his other son is a vitreoretinal surgeon and ophthalmologist.
Together, they are motivated to help fulfill their full potential through sight.
About Dr. Looysen – Dr. Steve Looysen is a VSP Vision ambassador, VSP network optometrist and retired Army Captain. His practices, Looysen I Care are located in North Dakota.