I want to share an important experience that I had while in London, England. I was performing a two-week engagement -- November 21 through December 3, 2005 -- with my group Vital Information at Ronnie Scott’s jazz club. On Wednesday, November 23, 2005 I had LASIK eye surgery. 

This has truly been a life-changing event, as I have been wearing glasses, and later contact lenses, ever since I was in the 2nd grade. My surgeon is Prof. Dan Reinstein, MD, whom I have known since 1988.

I met Dan on a gig in '88 -- he was the saxophone player in the band! Dan had taken a short break from medical school to attend the Berklee College of Music. Professor Reinstein has gone on to become one of the world's leading surgeons performing LASIK corrective eye surgery. He is respected and world-renown because of his knowledge, years of research and great skill as a surgeon. Dan currently runs his own clinic, teaches, gives lectures around the globe, continues to do research as well as play a gig once a month at the London jazz room, The 606 Club. In fact, Dan sat in with Vital Information at Ronnie Scott's and tore it up!

I had been thinking about having the operation for years, and being in residence in London for two weeks seemed to be the ideal situation. At Prof. Reinstein's spa-like clinic, which has an accommodating and professional staff of 15 people, I had an eye exam on Monday, November 21, to make sure I was a candidate; once it was determined that I was a candidate, we scheduled the surgery for two days later.

On the day of surgery I was a bit nervous, but Dan was so thorough and confident that he set me at ease. The operation itself was intense, but with Dan talking me through it, telling me what was about to happen and keeping me focused, it was over quite quickly with no pain at all. I was able to have to have the operation in the morning and perform at Ronnie Scott’s that evening.

The results are amazing. I now have 20/12 vision, can see distance clearly and read without glasses or contacts. Dan is on the "cutting edge" of LASIK technology -- about 4 years ahead of what is being offered in the USA -- and as a result I was able to be corrected for both distance and reading, which is a new technology. 

After I had such a good result, my Vital Information band mate Tom Coster decided to have the surgery himself. Tom has been wearing glasses for over 60 years and now he too can see long distance and read without glasses!

For anyone interested in this surgery check out Professor Reinstein's website and London facility: www.londonvisionclinic.com

There are many people who travel to England in order to have their eye surgery performed by this master surgeon. Believe me, it is well worth the trip.