You would think Murray Davidson would be sick of the sight of hospitals of late.
This week, though, the St Johnstone midfielder is just relieved that he still has the ability to see properly at all.
What seemed like an innocuous collision midway through the first half of last week’s League Cup game at Ibrox turned out to be potentially far more serious, as Davidson left the field on a stretcher with concussion.
A stud on Nicky Law’s boot had caught the Saints playmaker just centimetres below his right eye, and doctors at Glasgow’s Southern General carried out a series of tests to ensure there was no lasting damage to his sight.
Thankfully, Davidson’s vision has returned to normal, any signs of concussion appear to have cleared, and all he is sporting is a cut and a nasty-looking shiner as he prepares for this weekend’s Tayside derby with Dundee.
But the midfielder is thankful that the incident did not have greater consequences.
“I just remember falling and taking a dunt,” he recalled. “It felt strange because the tackle had already taken place. I know by watching it back on television that Nicky just fell over me. His stud caught me near the eye and the next thing I remember is physio Michael McBride speaking to me. I knew I was going off the park so my automatic reaction was to try and stand up.
“But I couldn’t manage it and the next thing I recall clearly is going to the Southern General, with everything in between a bit blurry.
“The doctors were worried about my eye. I couldn’t see a thing out of it. I couldn’t keep it open because it was so sore. They wanted me to keep blinking to try to keep it moving.
“It was a worry because it was completely black and the stitches were really close to the eye. I had to do the eye test at hospital and I couldn’t even read the top line, which was a worry as well, but then I got an X ray on my cheek and that got the all-clear.
“I had a scratch on the pupil of the eye so I had to go to the hospital in Perth the next morning for more tests.
“I did Tweet to assure people I would be fine and rushed back to Ibrox to get the bus back to Perth, still in the full kit, so I could get to the hospital there in the morning.
“But I couldn’t sleep because it was so painful. I was told to go home with Lee Croft because they were worried about the concussion and he was told to keep an eye on me.
“I was at the infirmary for a couple of hours in the morning. They squeezed me in as an emergency fortunately and there was bruising and bleeding but that took care of itself. It was a big relief to get the all-clear and be assured there was no serious damage to my sight.
“It was still blurry on Thursday and Friday last week and quick eye movements were still sore. My sight wasn’t up to playing against Motherwell last Friday but the concussion rule kept me out anyway. But day by day it has got better.”
Davidson has also thanked Law for his message of support after the Rangers forward tweeted him to apologise for what had happened.
He added: “It was just one of those things. I knew even then it was an accident. But his note was appreciated because a lot of players wouldn’t have bothered.”
Davidson expects to be fit for Saturday’s trip to Dens Park after having his stitches out, with just the lasting effects of his concussion the only hurdle to clear.
“It was a relief to avoid any serious damage because of being out for so long last season after ligament surgery,” he said.
“But since I have come here I have had a few concussions so that’s not a worry.
“You just have to go with the doctor’s advice and pass the memory test. Then I can get back into training.”