Like many organs in the body, our eyes work hard every day to ensure we can to see the world around us, but this means they face many challenges – from sun, sand and sea in summer months to the daily grind of life with phones and computer screens all year around.

And it was a culmination of these challenges which prompted Mansfield resident Drew Hudson-Viles to take action and end the constant merry-go-round of switching between glasses and lenses.

After 20 years of wearing glasses and contact lenses, enough was enough for new dad Drew – and he turned to Optegra Eye Hospital Birmingham for help.

“It was during a family holiday last year, the first since the birth of my daughter, that I realised I’d had enough of lenses and glasses,” he said. “The constant switching between prescription sunglasses and glasses, taking contact lenses in and out for swimming, was such a pain.

“At work as a coder, developing IT systems, I also noticed that my eyes were getting tired and gritty, plus colours were looking dull and faded.

“Outside of work I like to keep busy with amateur photography and taking my daughter to the local pool. Neither of these activities are great when wearing glasses!”

Drew, 37, is not alone in feeling frustrated about poor vision. A new study from www.optegra.com reveals the mental toll of poor eyesight, as over half of British adults (54 per cent) state that having poor vision can cause anxiety and 55 per cent can feel in a low mood if they cannot see clearly.

On a practical level, poor vision is also having an impact on daily life as it restricts activities which can boost wellbeing. One in five (20 per cent) adults say they cannot drive due to vision which makes them feel less independent, almost a quarter (23 per cent) say they have had to stop a favourite activity or hobby and 23 per cent find everyday tasks like cooking and shopping difficult due to poor sight.

Optegra consultant ophthalmic surgeon, Mr Maghizh Anandan, carried out Drew’s laser eye surgery. He said: “We often think of the practical implications or poor vision such as how it affects reading, watching television, driving and playing sports, but it is also interesting to see how much both mental health and wellbeing are affected.

 “This could be due to factors such as eyesight problems limiting the ability to live a full social life and preventing them from enjoying quality of life such as being able to go swimming on holiday or play sports. Life is so busy and pressurised nowadays that the burden of poor vision on top of the day-to-day pressures is a real issue.

 “The good news is that there are a range of excellent vision correction options available, which will help not only provide 20/20 vision but also therefore boost wellbeing.”

For Drew, LASIK laser eye surgery at Optegra Eye Hospital Birmingham has certainly transformed his life. “It’s the best money I have spent on anything, ever. I can’t believe how well I can see, from surgery that took seconds to complete. I remember waking up on the morning after surgery and being able to see the clock on the other side of the room. Not having to put my glasses on was a revelation.

“Everything is just easier now – work, photography, swimming, spending time with my family. No switching around of glasses, no goggles over lenses. It has given me a real confidence boost.

“My friend said to me that it’s the best real-life upgrade you can have, and I totally agree! I had 20/20 vision in less than 24 hours – what could be better than that.”