Many London Vision Clinic patients have referred to their treatments as “miraculous” and the surgeons who performed their Laser Eye Surgery as “miracle workers”; but few might realise that – although he cannot actually perform miracles – Dr Dan is an accomplished amateur magician.
It was his interest in magic that, some six years ago, led him to the Magic Circle theatre in London for an evening’s entertainment.
Rajan at the Magic Circle HQ.
Rajan the Magic Man was performing that night and – as well as being impressed by his skill, Dr Dan noticed how red and inflamed the magician’s eyes were.
“I have always suffered from sensitive eyes”, Rajan explained, “and although my sight was not too bad, I needed contact lenses for perfect vision and they caused further irritation especially in dry, air- conditioned surroundings.”
It wasn’t until I watched Rajan perform his signature close-up magic at the London Vision Clinic summer BBQ, that it occurred to me that magicians – alongside pilots and surgeons etc require better than perfect eyesight to practice their craft – they also need eyes in the back of their heads. At the summer party I remember Rajan joking that he had paid extra for his laser eye operation to include X-ray vision!
Behind his dark glasses and enigmatic expression, Rajan has to take in every detail of his audience at the briefest of casual glances in order to enable his sleight of hand to work its magic.
“It has to be inexplicable – otherwise it is just a trick”, he told me.
But what makes it magic? Apparently much is in its presentation…
Rajan first became interested in magic at the age of nine when he was taught by his grandfather in India and East Africa. Later he trained as a civil engineer and was involved in the construction of London’s Canary Wharf. Following several magic performances for colleagues and friends, Rajan was persuaded to make the step from amateur to professional and since then his career in the UK and US has flourished.
