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Prevent Blindness Northern California
Blindness is catastrophic to an individual and in many cases sight loss is preventable. Prevent Blindness Northern California (PBNC), a 501(c)(3) organization, provides services to prevent vision impairment. Last year, PBNC provided over 24,400 vision screenings to young children and senior citizens throughout Northern California.
Mission
Prevent Blindness Northern California is devoted to the preservation of sight for the people of Northern California. We accomplish this through direct vision screening services, vision screening training programs, public education, and advocacy. We believe that detection of vision disorders at a treatable stage and raising awareness of eye health and safety are essential to preventing vision loss and blindness.
Board of Directors
An active 30-member Board of Directors comprised of prominent Ophthalmologists and business people governs PBNC. Seven of our medical members actively serve on the Scientific Advisory Committee and provide invaluable consultation and guidance to program development and implementation. Our 8-member staff, including a Registered Nurse, represents some of the diverse populations residing in our Northern California communities. Programs are carried out by this small staff and our more than 500 volunteers.
Additionally, our active Board of Directors keeps the program staff current on public health issues relating to healthy vision and eye diseases, and incorporates into its program services updated information from the National Eye Institute, Center for Disease Control, Prevent Blindness America, and Ophthalmology Periodicals.
Redding Branch Office
The Redding Branch Office offers vision-screening services in some of our most mountainous regions of the state. By providing services in Shasta, Tehama, Trinity, Butte, Glenn and Siskiyou counties, thousands of adults and children received sight-saving services last year. As we grow and expand services, individuals living in areas bordering both the states of Oregon and Nevada are benefiting from our organization.
Since opening in April 2000:
22,256 children screened in 1,072 schools
115 cases of amblyopia discovered
791 children now wear glasses or under treatment
2,732 adults screened
300 professionals trained on vision screening
30 health fairs
100 community outreach clinics
350+ connected to financial resources
Prevent Blindness Is More Than 40 Years Old!
2006 year marked the Fortieth Anniversary of PBNC as an incorporated body celebrating over one million individuals who have received vision screenings by our organization.