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Vision Loss Was Clue to Breast Cancer

In a rare case, Florida's self-proclaimed first female plumbing contractor Laurie Codding was diagnosed with breast cancer after experiencing vision problems that seemed harmless at first. However, once Codding lost all vision in her right eye, she decided to get checked out.

Her doctor, Steven Mamus, who is also medical director of the Cancer Center of Sarasota and Manatee, discovered cancer in her breast, eyes, spine, liver and pelvis. She had had a life expectancy of just five to eight  months, but is now in remission, the Bradenton Heraldreports.

Mamus said he had never seen a case in which the first symptom of breast cancer was vision loss.

Originally founded in December 2006 as an independent grassroots publication dedicated to coverage of health issues in Florida, Health News Florida was acquired by WUSF Public Media in September 2012.