I woke up this morning with puffy red skin around my eyes, and despite bathing them in cold water at regular intervals, the longer the day's gone on, the more red, sore and itchy they've become. Frankly I look like a panda with sunburn...


Fortunately I'm now qualified to take photos like that, because I had a half hour meeting this morning with the head of the hospital's Clinical Media Centre (at least I think it was him - I could barely see), and what he doesn't know about photographing hideous eye diseases isn't worth knowing. Admittedly he kept me waiting for five minutes when I arrived, but that's what happens when you cycle into work through a rainstorm. As his secretary said to me, "He's just drip-drying in the next room". But having popped his lycra shorts on the nearest radiator, he gave me a cup of tea, looked me in the eye, and passed on a few tips. I think they've paid off. I look as rough as anything in the photo above.

So I'm off to Asda for some eye ointment. Or failing that, a pair of sunglasses...