A 90 year old Largs man, who lost his sight while serving for the army in Africa, is longing to see his wife again thanks to state-of-the-art new spectacles made by university science experts.
Readers will remember we reported on John Hutchinson's amazing story a few years ago when he was given the amazing super tech specs on a trial run for a few weeks but had them taken away for further tests, and now the glasses have gone on the market for a whopping £2500.
The Royal British Legion Largs branch have already stepped in to provide £1000 towards the final sum, and John is looking for help to raise funds towards the final total so he can see his wife again as well as the beautiful sunsets of Largs.
John, of Glen Avenue. was in the British Army for 18 years in airborne divisions, but lost his sight after tropical parasites got into his bloodstream and attacked the retina.
He was in Africa at the time helping to set up a disability centre for refugees for the UN, and was rated 97% blind, at one of its most severest forms of partial blindness, and has been without his vision for ten years.
And two years ago John found out about a poor vision Smart Specs scheme - new state of the art glasses which improve your vision if partially sighted.
Around 100 people were selected around the UK to trial the new specs, and John was literally 'jumping for joy' when he tried on the new glasses as his vision was restored for the first time.
He only had the Smart Specs on a three week trial, but described how he was able to see his wife for the first time in eight years, and had high-flying ambitions if he can afford the new glasses when they come out in an estimated two years time. 
Speaking to the 'News', John said: "I was part of a research team with Oxford University and I was effectively the guinea pig and got the original invention - the prototype. I was really taken aback with them - it was marvellous to be able to see my wife again, but I had to send them back for further research. The whole project was recently completed and it has been handed over to a commercial firm.
"I have various ideas in order to raise funds. I have even discussed flying around Britain in a mirco light aircraft!
"I am very happy going with my life, but I am very grateful to the Royal British Legion for helping me in this way and hopefully I can raise the rest of the funds."
John's vision is severely restricted with 4% vision, and describes his slight as 'like looking through a pot of glue' and the prognosis is for it to get worse.
However, the specs gave John a new lease of life, as he explained: "The frame of the headset has at least one if not two cameras taking pictures ahead of you and around your neck. It shows pictures of what is directly in front of you, and somehow it comes back to you via the glasses in front of you like a mini tv screen. It is not exactly as you would normally expect, as it is a small screen, but it is enough to see what is ahead and recognise people. It really is remarkable given what you can see.
"I could see my wife clearly for the first time in years. It is a complete revolution - you can also see obstacles in front of you."
John is certainly a busy man with his role as Vice President at the Royal British Legion Largs branch, and also has a radio link-up with other blind veterans with a broadcasting suite in his back garden. He also has a passion for the ukelele, and is a familiar character around the town with his faithful guide dog Bracken.
The original glasses which John tested which cumbersome and had to be attached to a laptop computer but the new version is like a very ordinary pair of spectacles with a tiny camera and microphone fitted. John said: "The old version was a bit like a space helmet but the new version is much more refined.
"It was an incredible feeling - it was like a re-birth. If I can raise the funds, I might get the chance to ride my microlight, or bicycle, instead of walking with a white stick and guide dog. I was just gobsmacked by the whole thing."
And he was delighted when he learned that his Royal British Legion colleagues had donated to his cause: "It came as a complete shock, and I was quite emotional. I never dreamt for a minute that they were meeting about it and have ringfenced the funding for my glasses, but they said, it was a worthy cause as far as they are concerned."