The Optical Express ‘Thanks a Million’ campaign was launched in 2017 to thank key members of society – NHS and Emergency Service workers. To date, we’ve donated over £4 million worth of eye surgery to eligible patients.
We recently extended the eligibility criteria to include unpaid carers, who are often overlooked or underreported due to their circumstances.
The cost of caring for others
Today, an estimated 11.9 million people are providing unpaid care to family members or friends who are ill, disabled or elderly. Their support is worth a staggering £184 billion per year, yet many are left struggling to cope. [1]
Research from Optical Express indicates that carers often don’t have the time to look after themselves and are more like to cancel medical appointments, including eye exams.
Below, we share the stories of some of our recent ‘Thanks a Million’ patients – individuals who dedicate their lives to caring for others. Continue reading to see how their lives have been transformed by the free laser eye surgery they received from Optical Express.
Gracie's story
Gracie is a full-time carer for her daughter, who is the only person in the UK known to have the rare genetic condition TRAPPC6B.
With a particularly high prescription, Gracie relied on glasses every day. This often put her in unsafe situations if her glasses were pulled off or broken while tending to her daughter’s complex needs.
A fellow carer and friend of Gracie’s suggested laser eye surgery, but the financial burden of being an unpaid carer made it impossible. When she heard about the ‘Thanks a Million’ campaign, she decided to apply – a decision that changed her life.
Since her surgery, Gracie can safely and confidently manage her daily responsibilities. She no longer worries about broken glasses and can respond quickly to her daughter during the night without searching for them.
Read Gracie’s full story here.
Scarlett's story
Scarlett, 27, is a full-time carer from Devon. She works as a personal assistant for a disabled gentleman while also caring for her husband at home.
Focusing so much on others in both her professional and personal life meant she often neglected her own needs and struggled to justify the financial cost of something that was “just for her.”
Scarlett applied for the Optical Express ‘Thanks a Million’ initiative after seeing it advertised online and was amazed to find she’d been accepted for free treatment.
Following her procedure at Optical Express Plymouth, Scarlett no longer worries about glasses interfering with her caring responsibilities. Delighted with the results, she’s now encouraging others to take the same life-changing step!
Ajmeet's story
Ajmeet is a carer from Hounslow, London, who had laser eye surgery in May this year, after considering it for more than 3 years.
Laser eye surgery had been financially out of reach due to her additional healthcare needs. She requires hearing aids in both ears, costing over £3,000.
Before surgery, she relied on daily contact lenses and avoided glasses as they caused discomfort when worn with her hearing aids. Managing both added time and stress to her morning routine and long shifts. She was over the moon to have the opportunity to receive laser eye surgery!
Since having laser eye surgery, Ajmeet says her quality of life has significantly improved. She describes it as one of the best decisions she has ever made, enabling her to fully focus on her career.
Why we do it
David Moulsdale, Chairman and CEO of Optical Express, said:
“These are just some of the stories of people we’ve helped through our ‘Thanks a Million’ initiative. Giving back to key members of society and enabling them to focus on the things that matter most is why we have donated millions of pounds’ worth of vision correction surgery – and why we will continue to do so.”
Keen to get involved?
Keep your eyes peeled for the next round of ‘Thanks a Million’ where we'll be extending the criteria again to include veterans – details will be revealed soon.