From his teenage decision to become a doctor, Eric kept a detailed diary which serves as an incredible testimony to the pioneers of sight who battled against old-school thinking and fear of change. The resulting book is much more than a medical memoir – it’s a story of an enduring love affair with his wife Veronica who devoted her life to his career, and a vibrant description of a way of life unrecognisable today. Eric trained at Moorfields with Harold Ridley, the inventor of lens implants, and worked at the Charing Cross Group of Hospitals at a time when Consultants were in charge. He watched the NHS become burdened with bureaucracy and administration, to the detriment of patient healthcare and new ideas. He closely associated with American surgeons like Charlie Kelman and won over the English establishment to bring New World ideas to the UK. He fought with giant corporations over the right to claim his inventions as his own. There were successes and failures, but eventually, he took his innovations to the people and even across the world to the poor of India. Eric also partnered Svyatoslav Fyodorov, the pioneer of refractive surgery in Russia for many years.

Coming from a privileged background, Eric mixed in high-society and while dedicated to restoring sight, he certainly knew how to party in his free time. The book is an entertaining mix of wild anecdotes (often featuring royalty, celebrities and world leaders), historical stories about the fascinating people he knew, medical insights and a joyous celebration of family and friends.