The ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital is scheduled to work in Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East, Africa, South America and the Caribbean in 2009, conducting its sight-saving training in eight countries.

Dr. Hunter Cherwek

The Flying Eye Hospital — a DC-10 aircraft converted into a mobile ophthalmic surgical unit — is due to begin the year in Laos, a country it has never before visited, and finish in Bangladesh, a country in which ORBIS has a permanent office administering several long-term projects.

“It will be exciting to start the year in Laos, as it will be the first time that the ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital has held a program in that country,” said ORBIS Medical Director Hunter Cherwek, M.D. “Laos is a country in tremendous need with enthusiastic host doctors. The ORBIS program will offer many of the eye care professionals their first opportunity for continuing medical education.”

Expert ophthalmologists, nurses, anesthesiologists and biomedical engineers from around the world volunteer their time on board the Flying Eye Hospital to train local ophthalmic professionals. Procedures include cataract removal, corneal transplantation, ocular trauma and strabismus treatment. ORBIS has been carrying out such training missions since 1982.

2009 itinerary

The ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital is scheduled to visit the following locations:

To see the Flying Eye Hospital in action, please watch our video or view our audio slideshow.