What had put me off laser eye surgery until this point in life (I am 49)? I think it must be the misconception, fuelled by more than one discussion with more than one optician, that my prescription could not be accommodated.

Vikash Patel, who conducted my very thorough initial consultation with Accuvision in London on 9 November 2007, reassured me on this. My R. -2.50 L. -0.75 (sphere) and R. -1.50 L. -3.00 (cylinder) prescription would present no problem according to Vik and he has been proved right.

The only potential issue highlighted by the initial consultation was thinner than normal corneas. Vik said this might result in no further progress towards treatment at other laser eye surgery providers but that Accuvision’s state of the art equipment would have no problem given my prescription was relatively ‘weak’.

I was taken patiently through the alternative treatments available at Accuvision and recommended Lasik (the creation of a corneal flap and subsequent laser). Vik also recommended, given my age, that I have monovision. This plays to fact that we have a dominant eye, in my case the right. This is treated for long vision, and the other eye made slightly under-powered to accommodate near sight.

So to surgery day … on Monday, 19 November. I felt surprisingly calm – although the nurse monitoring my pulse would probably offer a different view. As so many others have said on this site, the procedure was entirely painless. The creation of the corneal flap was a little unnerving, given it is the only ‘mechanical’ part of the process, but that aside the surgery gave me no concerns. I was soon back in the waiting room … and about ten minutes later being examined by Mr Jindal, my surgeon, who confirmed that all had gone well.

A next day examination by Vik confirmed good progress even within 24 hours. Some 6 weeks or so later, another Accuvisision opthalmologist, Joan, confirmed 20:20 vision – plano in my right eye and – 0.5 in the left.

There are some points I would make to anyone who is considering or who has only just had laser eye surgery.

• firstly, the team at Accuvision are very personable, highly professional, patient and interested in a good outcome rather than a sale.

• secondly – and this is particularly for those who have just had surgery – do not panic if stable, good eyesight is not immediate. I was jumpy enough by day three to return to Accuvision (not a quick journey from Basingstoke), worried that my sight was still variable. I was reassured – but I would say that it was not until the fourth week that things settled and I got used to the monovision.

• Thirdly, be a bit thoughtful about how you will protect your eyes from the enquiring fingers of a young child. That said, I have had a few jabs in the eye from my son since surgery with no ill effect. I did stay away from him completely, though, for the first 24 hours which Mr Jindal had stressed would be the ‘most critical in the life of my eyes’!

My eyesight now. Absolutely amazing! On a clear winter’s day with sunshine (a rare event lately, I know) the clarity is really striking. Without getting too poetic, I particularly notice the colour of trees and the way light falls on them. I am surprised and almost a bit guilty at how quickly I have taken this for granted after 42 years of wearing spectacles. I can only suggest that it reflects well on the quality of the experience I have had with Accuvision.