A £500,000 centre to help people with sight loss was officially launched this week.

The Oxfordshire Association for the Blind (OAB) has spent two years raising money for their new building in Gordon Woodward Way, off Abingdon Road, South Oxford.

Until now, visitors had been forced to sit in a dark and cramped portable cabin.

The building was officially opened by Inspector Morse author Colin Dexter and charity patron the Countess of Macclesfield.

The bestselling author, from North Oxford, had to give up doing crosswords in 2010 after he was diagnosed with macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in Britain.

Mr Dexter, 81, said: “As you get older your eyesight suffers, so people will really benefit from this new facility.

“Our eyesight is one of God’s greatest gifts and people need to keep going for regular checkups on their eyes.”

There are 4,000 people registered as visually impaired in Oxfordshire. It is estimated that 6,000 others are not registered.

The OAB provides them with practical and emotional support with the county’s largest range of specialist equipment for visually impaired people.

Until now, that was based in a portable cabin in a car park on Abingdon Road.

Last night, charity director Colin Cure said: “It is a wonderful feeling, it is very exciting. We are very pleased and optimistic about what services we will be able to provide from now on.

“Already we have professional groups using the space and we are using it for our counselling sessions.”

Mr Cure added: “One of the really nice things is that when people come in now, they go ‘wow. This is all for us’.

“A lot of effort went into the design with things like the lighting and contrasts, so people with some sight find it easier to get around.”

The £510,000 building includes a reception area, IT training suite, a ‘life skills’ demonstration area and a space for assistance dogs.

It provides scope for training employers, retailers and other companies on how to deal with blind and partially-sighted employees and customers.

Counsellors are also on hand to support people going through the trauma of losing their sight.

To support the charity’s Future Vision appeal or for more details, call 01865 725595 or email fundraising@oxeyes.org.uk