A Man With Vision

“I read for the first time in years. I got a video magnifier. I got a large-print computer. I asked for help. I got honest.”

In 1997, brimming with enthusiasm and a ready-made (if small) customer base, Charlie Collins decided to launch his own business in Cheshire - a store that sold optical magnifiers and visual aids for those with low vision.

Collins, his brother and two of his four sisters had been diagnosed as children with juvenile macular degeneration, a genetic disorder that impairs vision. To read, they needed magnifiers and optical scanners. They needed talking clocks and talking telephones. For fun, they needed large-print playing cards and tactile chess sets. 'I knew I had a few customers - my family,' Collins said. Just one problem: 'I also knew they would want a discount.' Read more