Sarah was eight years old when she visited her optometrist for the first time.  While she had not complained about her vision in the past, she was noticing that recently she could not see as well in her left eye.  Her mother, thinking that she would probably just need glasses, arranged an appointment with a local optometrist. Her optometrist performed a comprehensive eye exam, checking all aspects of her vision and eye health.  When checking her vision, it was obvious that the vision in her left eye was compromised.  New glasses improved it slightly, but it seemed that Sarah might have other issues that were affecting her vision.  When the optometrist examined the internal structures of the eye, the problem became apparent.  In the back of Sarah’s left eye, she had a large malignant tumour, called a retinoblastoma.  After explaining the findings to both Sarah and her mother, the optometrist made arrangements for her to receive further assessment and treatment.  Fortunately, within days, Sarah was in the care of Hospital for Sick Kids in Toronto, Ontario.  At the hospital, they had a world-class team of doctors who were able to successfully treat the tumour before the cancer had a chance to spread to other parts of her body.  Shortly afterwards, she was able to return to school and enjoy being a kid again.   In retrospect, both Sarah and her mother realize that getting a comprehensive eye exam from an optometrist, when they did, likely saved her life.  While many might think to see an optometrist only when they need new glasses, having a detailed eye health assessment on a routine basis is critical to protecting your vision and eye health for a lifetime.