Lions Industries employee receives special glasses
Teresa Harper shows off her eSight glasses at the Lions Industries for the Blind. Harper, who has been legally blind since birth, was able to get the glasses with help from the local Lions Club to help enhance her vision greatly. Photo by Junious Smith III / Neuse News
Teresa Harper received a life-changing gift recently.
Harper, who works as an administrative assistant for the Lions Industries for the Blind, received eSight eyewear with the help of the local Lions Club. The eSight glasses help those with vision impairment immensely, capturing high-quality video footage and displaying it upon high-resolution screens directly in front of each eye.
Harper, who has been legally blind since birth, said the equipment has been wonderful.
“It’s a miracle for people like me,” Harper said. “The one thing it doesn’t let you do is drive, but I don’t care about that — I want to see some of the things I’ve missed for years. An object someone can see easily from 20 feet away, I couldn’t from 2.”
Harper said the eSight equipment has helped enhance hobbies and tasks.
“I love to read, but usually it’s audio books,” Harper said. “I like the feel of a book and with these, I’m able to hold it at a normal length. “When I’m shopping, I can see the price tags and signs on the aisle and not have to rely on someone else. I haven’t gone out to a Carolina basketball game recently, but in the past I would take my camera phone and zoom out to the court with it in order to see.
“With E-sight, that won’t be an issue.”
Harper was born in Kinston, but moved to Raleigh to attend classes at the Governor Morehead School for the Blind. Harper went to the school for 11 years and went to Appalachian State University for a bit before moving back to Kinston and taking a job with the Lions Industry for the Blind.
“Going to Appalachian State was a bit of a culture shock,” Harper said. “I wanted to be around people like myself and I do have family here.”
Harper has been with the organization for 36 years and received the Lions Industry for the Blind 2019 Milton J. Samuelson Career Achievement Award on Dec. 20. She went back to school and received a degree in business education with a concentration in information technology from ECU in 2007.
Operations Manager Marc Camnitz has worked with Harper over the past 10 years and said she has been wonderful to work with.
“She is a loyal and dedicated employee,” Camnitz said. “She did a great job on the manufacturing line, but we wanted to put her in the office to work the administrative side, where she’s done a fine job.”
Harper said there’s plenty she wants to do with temperatures are more conducive.
“I haven’t been able to experience everything these days — mainly because it’s been too cold or wet lately — but I can’t wait to,” Harper said. “These (glasses) are awesome and I’m truly glad to have them.”
If you would like to donate to assist Harper in getting the glasses, go to https://giving.esighteyewear.com/teresa-harper.
