Many individuals with vision impairment understand the struggle of deciphering blurry words and faces, constantly fearing the potential for embarrassing moments. But for others, like Police Officer Daniel, the stakes are much higher. His vision is essential for quickly checking registration plates, responding to urgent call-outs, recognising suspects and keeping himself and others safe while on duty. Every detail matters in his line of work.

Contact lenses and glasses were not the fool proof solution he was seeking, often irritating his eyes and leaving him distracted on duty. For him, there was one solution that promised the safety and lasting results he was seeking: laser eye surgery.

Sick of playing the role of Daniel’s second pair of eyes, his colleague encouraged him to apply for the “Thanks a Million” campaign by Optical Express. This campaign offered the opportunity for him to receive the procedure at no cost, recognising his contributions, something that made both of their workdays that much easier.

Daniel paints the picture of post-surgery success better than we ever could: “Came out, and from then, it’s been spot on. Vision’s better than I had with contact lenses. It’s better than with glasses. I don’t have to worry about it at work. I can see the registration plates, so my colleagues are a lot happier. It gives me the opportunity to be more confident, and that will transpire when I go to jobs, when I go to see people and when they are relying on a Police Officer.”

Under the care of surgeon Muhammad Kazmi’s expertise, Daniel was in and out in “about five minutes” and on his way to a safer, more efficient work life and beyond.

“Every step of the way, they’ve been informative, they’ve put me at ease when I’ve had questions. They’ve given me everything I need, and they had all the right answers.”

Optical Express first launched the ‘Thanks a Million’ campaign in 2017, donating £1 million worth of free laser eye surgery to NHS and Emergency Service workers. The campaign since relaunched in 2023 with Optical Express donating another £1 million worth of laser eye surgery as a way of saying ‘thank you’ to those who work tirelessly every day to help safeguard our communities.