PBNC’s mission aims to detect and eliminate uncorrected vision problems, provide greater access to treatment, and thereby prevent blindness and preserve the sight of everyone we serve. Providing direct services to over 550,000 North Carolinians annually, PBNC’s three primary programs provide the latest in best-practice, evidence-based and age-appropriate screening standards. While we have always collected screening data, post-screening follow-up results and success stories from the participants of our programs, we have recently implemented the Prevent Blindness Ambassador Program to annually recognize a North Carolinian that has been positively impacted by the vision services provided by our programs. Through our ambassador program, we want to proudly share the results of our impact on vision in NC, and we can’t think of anyone better to start with than this young man. We are happy to introduce you to Colton and tell you about his road to better vision!
Colton participated in the free vision screening that was offered at his preschool. When he failed the screening, PBNC alerted his parents of the problem and recommended that he be examined by an eye doctor for diagnosis and possible treatment. According to Colton’s mom, “The eye doctor told us that early intervention may be able to save his vision in his right eye. His left eye is so strong that we never noticed he had a problem in his right eye, but his brain basically ‘shut it off’ and stopped communicating with it. Most kids have this sense fully developed by 8 years old and therapy is less likely to be effective if you wait that long. I’m so grateful that he was screened at his preschool and that you followed up with me via phone urging me to get him checked. Although he will wear glasses for the rest of his life, we now have some hope that we can correct the major problems in his right eye. I want to stress that we had ABSOLUTELY no indicators that he had trouble seeing. None. He never mentioned it and it was just not on our radar as the whole family has near perfect vision without the use of glasses or contacts. I’m so grateful for this program as it may have saved his eye!”
We are excited to have Colton and his family as part of the PBNC team and look forward to using his story to show many others the importance of vision screening and proper vision care. He is doing very well with his glasses and is enjoying the new gift of better vision. Be on the lookout for more to come from Colton!
