For the past 24 years, life has been a blur for the Derby Evening Telegraph’s Jill Gallone.

The short-sighted feature writer hadn’t been able to see a thing without her glasses, and had even been known to stand on them while searching for them in the morning.

So, sick of having to see the world through a pair of prescription glasses, she decided to undergo laser eye surgery – and couldn’t believe her eyes at the result.

A few weeks before her operation Jill had a detailed eye examination where measurements were taken in preparation for surgery, and on the day of the procedure three nurses made her feel at ease as she lay on the couch.

After having some numbing drops placed on her right eye, it was time for surgeon Iain Gardner to begin, and he cut a small corneal flap with a microkeratome.

Jill heard a buzzing noise but felt nothing.

The flap was then folded back, exposing the bed of the cornea so the laser could get to work, and after four eight-second blasts the corneal flap was put back in place, with the procedure complete.

Jill said: “I realise that for once, there is gain without pain. It has taken no more than three minutes.”

After a 15-minute breather the process was repeated on the left eye, and then Jill was given chance to rest before being sent home with a pair of googles she to wear for the rest of the day and every night for a week.

That night, she struggled to get to sleep – too excited about putting her newly perfect eyes to the test…

On her return to the clinic Jill was put through her paces with various eye charts – and was thrilled to hear she now has 20/20 vision.

She said: “I practically danced out of the laser clinic with a fellow patient, who had also just discovered that he has 20/20 vision.

“If David Beckham had scored three goals against Brazil in the World Cup final, he couldn’t feel better than we did at that moment.

“Clear vision is priceless. It’s something I will benefit from every day for the rest of my life. I can’t tell you how wonderful it is. Like childbirth, it feels miraculous.”

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