“It’s just going to be a real relief really, having perfect vision” Sandbach based Firefighter Sam tells us following his free laser eye surgery as a part of the Optical Express ‘Thanks a Million’ campaign.

Finding it a “pain” to attend emergencies whilst navigating traditional visual correction, Sam felt “really lucky” to be selected for LASIK surgery. He found that glasses would mist up or get in the way under his helmet and that attempting to insert contact lenses in the rush of preparing to leave the station wasn’t worth the safety risk.

As an avid sail boat racer, good vision on the water is essential for his weekend competitions. Sam tells us of when his new sail boat capsized – dislodging his contacts and leaving him unable to see. It makes for a funny anecdote in retrospect, but he shares his enthusiasm that it won’t be a recurring incident with his new pristine vision.

When asked about his experience on the day of his surgery, Sam shares: “My surgeon gave me all of the, all and more information than what I needed, really”, and credits our team as a “really strong part of the experience”.

Despite having some natural reservations, Sam found his journey far exceeded his expectations and the difference it makes to his view of the world is “staggering”. He tells those considering the procedure that the outcome surpasses any concerns and that he would “absolutely recommend Optical Express for laser eye surgery”.

Following the success of the first ‘Thanks a Million’ campaign launched in 2017, Optical Express have donated a further £1 million worth of laser eye surgery to NHS and Emergency Service workers. It’s our way of thanking incredible teams for their vital contributions.