After mistaking a mystery blonde woman for his wife at the local swimming pool, Turtle Bunbury knew he had to do something about his poor vision.
Now the best-selling Irish author and historian can see clearly for the first time in nearly 30 years thanks to laser eye surgery which he recently had at Optical Express.
Turtle, who is 43 and a presenter of RTE series, ‘The Genealogy Roadshow’, had suffered with short-sightedness and astigmatism.
“I felt redundant as a human being,” said Turtle, who is father to daughters Jemima and Bay. “I was completely unable to operate without glasses.”
Free of glasses for the first time in 30 years
Since having had surgery, Turtle is now glasses free for the first time since he was 12 years old.
“My glasses were a bit of a trademark so people are still adjusting to me,” he said. “I definitely looked funny after the first day or two. I’m still getting used to seeing myself without spectacles. A scar I received after being whacked on the nose by a cricket ball when I was a teenager is now visible. Previously, my glasses had disguised it.”
The historian, who has recently published a new book called ‘Easter Dawn- The 1916 Rising’, first thought about laser eye surgery when he was in his 20s but was worried about the procedure.
“I was a bit of a wimp in the eye department. I grew up on a farm and when I saw an animal being injected in the eyes I would feel my own eyes water.”
Turtle had surgery at the Ballsbridge clinic in Dublin. He is happy to admit that he was a little nervous before the procedure.
“The night before it felt as if I was getting married; I knew it would be a massive change. But I wasn’t worried.”
He says that his daughters weren’t as convinced about the benefits of the operation but soon came around to the idea. “My six year old drew a picture of me on the morning of my surgery. She normally draws me with glasses on, but in this picture I wasn’t wearing any,” Turtle added.
Kevin Harrington, an optometrist with Optical Express in Ireland, said:
“Laser eye surgery is one of the most common elective procedures in the world for good reason – it achieves fantastic results.
“It’s great to hear that Turtle is enjoying the benefits that laser eye surgery brings.”
Turtle added: “The best thing about having laser eye surgery is not having to be dependent on glasses. Before, I couldn’t even read the text on my iPhone; now I can see it straightway.
“I can use binoculars and glasses and distinguish shampoo from mouthwash when I’m in the shower. I can even distinguish my wife and daughters from other people who like look them.
“The results are wonderful and there is no looking back. I still reach for my glasses in the morning, though.”
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