Trainee Nurse Practitioner Dean, needed a vision solution that suited him for his role and personal life.

Being both a contact lenses and glasses wearer for many years and suffering with a moderate astigmatism, Dean has always thought about laser eye surgery but never thought it was possible with an astigmatism.

Having poor vision affected his role, in particular to working in theatres as if he didn’t have his glasses on Dean was unable to read the aesthetic machine in the distance. Commenting that “I would have no idea what the patient’s observations were because I couldn’t see them”.

Looking for some solution, Dean tried wearing contact lenses. But due to the nature of his role and working long hours, contact lenses were just not a good fit. They were uncomfortable after a few hours due to the air conditioning in the hospital which was drying his eyes out.

When he saw the advert on Instagram for the ‘Thanks a Million’ campaign seeking NHS and Emergency Services Workers to apply for free laser eye surgery, Dean applied for his chance and was “thankfully very lucky and got it”.

Talking about his surgery day, Dean commented that “the whole process was really quick, really nice” and “the procedure itself wasn’t uncomfortable”. After surgery, he mentioned that his vision “was almost instant”, and had some mild discomfort.

It is the second time that Optical Express has chosen to thank NHS and Emergency Service workers in this way. In 2017, they launched their first ‘Thanks a Million’ campaign which saw them give away £1 million worth of free laser eye surgery. Over the course of the two campaigns more than £2 million worth of surgery will improve the lives of NHS and Emergency Service workers.

Since Optical Express was founded 32 years ago, the team are proud to have supported hundreds of humanitarian and philanthropic projects, donating over £33 million and counting to worthwhile causes in the UK and abroad.