A HELSTON optician will be helping hundreds of Africans to see more clearly when he embarks on a challenging trip to Ghana later this month.

James King, from Church Street, is joining a team of volunteers travelling to the West African country with Vision Aid Overseas - a charity dedicated to helping people in developing countries whose lives are blighted by poor eyesight.

During the two-week trip, James, 25, who works as a dispensing optician for Batemans Opticians in Helston, Falmouth and Truro, will be handing out spectacles to patients screened by fellow team members at a series of clinics in the Ashanti region of Ghana.

James, who is a member of the Light and Life Free Methodist Church in Helston, said Vision Aid Overseas was performing "life-changing" work in Africa and other countries.

"A pair of glasses can make such a difference to everyday life," he said. "If you can't see to do basic tasks then even a very weak prescription can be life-changing.

"These people don't usually have access to these services. Some of them are so desperate, they walk for miles and wait outside the clinic overnight just to make sure they are seen."