Help Protect Your Eyes, Help Prevent Injuries.

Eye injuries are a common cause of blindness. Many of these injuries are a result of sports-related activities. It is unfortunate, but many eye injuries are serious and can result in a loss of sight. A simple but important way to avoid these injuries is by wearing protective eyewear. Protective eyewear will help keep eyes safe from flying objects, elbows, fingers, weather related airborne objects or other possible environmental hazards.

Think the risk of an eye injury is not serious? Below are some facts that may change your mind.

• Emergency rooms treat more than 40,000 eye injuries annually as a result from sports related injuries. 
• Racquetballs can reach upwards of 200 mph in competitive play while tennis and badminton objects can go 60 mph or more during competitions.
• Many sports involve rackets and swinging objects at high rates of speed in confined places or close, person-to-person contact. These activities lead to encounters and interactions that will result in injuries. Many of these injuries are in the facial area due to the contact and support being played.

Sports eyewear does not have the same qualities or characteristics as regular eyeglasses or other everyday worn eyewear. Sports eyewear is specifically designed to suit the needs of each individual sport. Many of them are designed to fit while wearing helmets when playing football, baseball, hockey or other activities such as biking.

Protective lenses are manufactured from polycarbonate. This is a durable and impact resistant material made with full UV protection. The frames are usually designed with the same polycarbonate or impact resistant plastic. They come with rubber padding on the areas that connect to your face. Depending upon the style, some contour and wrap around the face which provides complete and secure coverage.

It is important to have proper sizing and well-fitting eyewear for the individual. There is no one size fits all when it comes to protective eyewear, especially for sports activities. Eyewear that is too large or too small will not only affect the individual and their performance but will likely discourage the individual from wearing the eyewear all together. Eyewear, especially for children, should be assessed every year.

Join Us in Welcoming our New Leadership!

North Central Sight Services is pleased to announce the appointment of Kim Zimmer as president and CEO and the promotion of Brandy Moon to chief operations officer.

Zimmer, who previously served as president and CEO of Hellen Keller Services in Brooklyn, NY, has over 20 years of executive leadership experience in nonprofit organizations. At Hellen Keller Services, Zimmer led strategic planning, financial management, fundraising, people management, operations and marketing, with a focus on serving individuals who are blind or visually impaired in New York City or have combined hearing and vision loss across the United States.

She also formerly held positions as chief marketing officer and senior vice president, global development, for Goodwill Industries International; and chief operating officer and vice president, corporate communications, for National Industries for the Blind.

“Throughout her career, Kim has been committed to assisting people who are blind or visually impaired or have other disabilities achieve their employment goals and grow their independence,” said Mike Bridgham, chair of the North Central Sight Services’ Board of Directors. “Kim is just the forward-thinking and dynamic servant-leader we need to continue to grow our client services and business services, all to achieve our mission of enhancing independence for individuals with unique visual capabilities.”

Said Zimmer, “At North Central Sight Services there is a shared culture of camaraderie, resourcefulness, ingenuity and commitment to mission. There is a remarkable standard of quality that every team member exhibits in the products and services they deliver. I am thrilled to now be part of this team and excited to drive North Central Sight Services’ mission forward.”

Moon was previously human resources director and executive assistant to the CEO at North Central Sight Services. In her new role as chief operations officer, she will oversee day-to-day operational and administrative functions for the organization, including human resources, industry operations, programs and services, and commercial services.

“Brandy is a keystone for North Central Sight Services,” Zimmer said. “She has extensive institutional knowledge and is tremendously passionate about improving the lives of individuals who are blind or visually impaired. She also successfully stepped up as an interim leader during the organization’s recent executive search, and her peers look up to her for guidance and support. I look forward to having Brandy by my side in her new leadership role.”

Prior to her tenure at North Central Sight Services, Moon was human resources manager for River Valley Regional YMCA in Williamsport, PA. Moon holds the SHRM Senior Certified Professional credential from the Society for Human Resource Management and is a graduate of the Leadership Lycoming, a leadership development program offered by the Williamsport/ Lycoming Chamber of Commerce. She is currently pursuing her master’s in business administration at the University of Scranton.

Please join us in welcoming Kim and congratulating Brandy!

Backpacks, clothes, shoes and school supplies are at the top of the list for parents as they send their children back to school. These items are essential to prepare children for a successful year. With the busy pace of a new school year, eye exams are often missed. However, a child’s vision changes frequently during the early school years, adding importance to getting a functional eye exam. For income-eligible children living in Bradford, Centre, Clinton, Lycoming, Sullivan and Tioga counties, North Central Sight Services, Inc. (NCSS) is here to help.

NCSS’s Functional Vision Clinic provides income-eligible children with a complete eye examination with a pediatric optometrist who specializes in testing for visual-related learning problems. The clinic is held monthly at NCSS’s facility in Williamsport and the cost of an exam is $10.

According to the American Optometric Association, at least 5% of preschoolers and 25% of school-aged children have vision problems. These problems create complications when the eyes try to send accurate and clear messages to the brain.

It is not uncommon for young children to have difficulty identifying and communicating vision problems. Parents and caregivers can help by looking for the following common signs of vision issues in their children:

• Poor eye-hand coordination
• Alternate uses of the right and left hands
• Difficulty when studying visual information
• Trouble concentrating and learning
• Closing one eye during activities like reading or watching TV
• Avoiding activities that require near vision (reading, homework, computer use) or distance vision (sports, other recreational activities)
• Poor school performance
• Headaches and/or complaints of tired eyes
• Sensitivity to light
• Eyes tear up for no apparent reason

A comprehensive exam at NCSS’s Functional Vision Clinic can identify potential vision issues and offer solutions if any problems are identified.

As a new school year is now underway, parents are encouraged to consider the eye health of their children and reach out to NCSS to schedule an exam. In addition to clothes and school supplies, a functional eye exam is a critical part of preparing your child to have a successful school year.

For more than 65 years, NCSS has assisted individuals who are blind or visually impaired to live independently and maximize their quality of life. The organization helps prevent vision loss through education programs and screenings for children and adults. NCSS offers adjustment services for people losing their vision, support services, employment opportunities for people who are blind or visually impaired, and a prevention of blindness program.

For more information on vision screenings and related services, contact NCSS at (570) 323-9401.

Jon Klotz, president of Natural Waterscapes in South Williamsport, believes in the importance of community partnerships and looks for opportunities to engage with mission-focused organizations like North Central Sight Services, Inc. (NCSS). When his company dramatically expanded its line and method of business, Jon turned to NCSS for fulfillment services.

Natural Waterscapes was founded in 2007 to provide water resource management services throughout the country. As the business grew, a clear demand for high-quality pond and lake treatment resources emerged. Natural Waterscapes shifted its focus from a full-service business to one focused on providing superior products for pond and lake managers. When COVID-19 hit and consumers began focusing on improving their properties, the demand for pond and lake products skyrocketed. Natural Waterscapes revamped its business to a virtual platform and looked to NCSS for help packaging and sending its products to consumers.

“We needed warehouse space and help fulfilling orders,” Jon says. “NCSS was the perfect partner for us.”

NCSS provides storage space for large quantities of bulk products. When orders are placed through online sites like Amazon, NCSS employees repackage and ship the orders to customers. Currently, NCSS employs four people to package and four people to label and ship the orders. Last year, the organization distributed 2,778 units of products for Natural Waterscapes.

By serving as a packaging and distribution center, NCSS provides high-quality assistance for local businesses while generating employment for people who are blind or visually impaired.

“Our business services efforts align with our mission of helping people who are blind or visually impaired maintain their independence,”, says Amy Alexander, Development Director for NCSS. “Our employees provide excellent customer service and take great pride in their work.”

For Jon and his team at Natural Waterscapes, working with NCSS has been a winning partnership.

“It has been a rewarding experience, every step of the way,” Jon says. “We are proud to partner with NCSS and grateful for the excellent service they provide.”

For more than 65 years, NCSS has assisted individuals who are blind or visually impaired to live independently and maximize their quality of life. The organization helps prevent vision loss through education programs and screenings for children and adults. NCSS offers adjustment services for people losing their vision, support services, employment opportunities for people who are blind or visually impaired, and a prevention of blindness program.

For more information on business partnerships and related services, contact NCSS at (570) 323-9401.