This photograph was taken shortly before my operation to have my left eye straightened. I spent ten days in the small Ophthalmic Hospital in Great Victoria Street near Shaftesbury Square in Belfast in 1955 at the age of seventeen. When the bandages were removed and I looked in the mirror, both my eyes were so very 'bloodshot' but they were beautiful and straight.
Although my eyes looked straight, I was never able to focus both eyes perfectly on the one object due to slight 'double vision'. This was nothing new to me as I could only see with one eye at a time for as long as I remember. Of course I was able to 'straighten' my left eye and cause my right eye to 'turn in' but habit had trained me to concentrate with my right eye. Many years later an optician suggested preparing glasses with the left lens made for reading and all short-sight work and the right lens for driving and all long-sight vision. For years now, this arrangement has worked fine.
I went back unannounced some time after my operation to the Ophthalmic Hospital and there was a crowd of people and children waiting to be attended to. I told the receptonist that I came to thank the surgeon for the wonderful job he had done for me. Almost right away, and despite the large crowd in the waiting room, I was called to speak to the surgeon who, accompanied by nursing staff, 'checked me out' there and then and seemed very pleased that I had come.
I told the surgeon that I didn't know how to thank him and he smiled and gave me a gentle tap on my cheek.

Many years later two of my daughters had a similar operation and they spent only one day in hospital!

That operation changed my life to a very large extent. I no longer felt different and my confidence soared.