Celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal has teamed up with optical retailer Vision Express to create a new range.

Blumenthal, a famous spectacles wearer, will work to create a signature range of glasses and eyewear which will be available exclusively through Vision Express.

Vision Express chief executive Jonathan Lawson said: “We are delighted to be working with Heston, whose passion for eyewear and eye care was evident from the start.  We both have a clear common desire to drive higher levels of quality and innovation in British optical retail.”

Blumenthal said: “Both eyewear and eye care are obviously very important to me and I have been really impressed by the quality of my eye examination, which hasalready led to improvements in the visual quality of my leisure and work time.”

In 2011 Vision Express generated a £3.5m increase in pretax profit to £18.5m.

Blumenthal also works with upmarket grocer Waitrose, developing food ranges with the supermarket.