Optician focused on helping Africans see

Buy photos » Tim Allen gives a patient her first ever pair of glasses. (s)

A REDDITCH optician has been on a charity mission to deliver more than 1,000 pairs of spectacles to people living in one of the poorest parts of Africa.

Optometrist Tim Allen, who works at Specsavers in the Kingfisher Shopping Centre, visited villages around Blantyre in Malawi as part of a trip organised by the charity Vision Aid Overseas.

During the two week mission he visited schools, community centres and a small hospital to carry out eye examinations and provide glasses to people who do not have access to eye care.

While there, he was also able to train technicians and nurses on eye testing at the Mlambe Hospital, providing long-term sustainable eye care.

He said: “One of the highlights of my visit this year was providing glasses to teachers and tailors who had lost the ability to focus on nearby objects.

“By providing them with glasses we’re enabling them to see clearly again and continue their work to provide an income for their families.”

The majority of the spectacles given out were donated by the British public, who gave their unwanted glasses to Specsavers stores across the country, including Redditch.

He added: “It’s extremely humbling when the people are so grateful for their new specs, especially when it is something that is so routine and we take for granted in the UK. Something as simple as a pair of specs can make a very real difference to a person’s everyday life.”

Visit www.vao.org.uk or www.specsavers.co.uk for more information.

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