President & CEO Kathleen Sherwin reflects on her recent visit to Orbis programs in Asia

These visits are always grounding. They are a chance to listen, learn, and see firsthand how stronger eye care systems are being built in very different contexts. They also reinforce a simple truth: lasting progress comes from investing in local partners, strengthening institutions over time, and ensuring care reaches people and communities too often left behind.

In Nepal, I spent four days with colleagues and partners across the eye health system, including Nepal Netra Jyoti Sangh one of Orbis’s longest-standing partners, providing around 90% of eye care services nationwide through a network of more than 224 primary eye care centers and 28 hospitals.

At Biratnagar Eye Hospital, I opened a new Digital Training Hub equipped with simulation tools, including VR, designed to support surgical training in a safe environment. I also observed retinopathy of prematurity screening and discussed how training, innovation, and long-term sustainability can continue to strengthen care.

I visited women-led green vision centers using tele-ophthalmology to expand access and spent time with patients and families including a home visit with a student identified through a school screening program. These moments are powerful reminders of what early detection and community-based care can make possible.

In Bangladesh, I saw that same commitment expressed through highly practical, community-led approaches. In Sylhet, at Inclusive Eye Hospital and through Nayan Voluntary Social Welfare Organization, I observed cataract services and outreach screening in Khadim Nagar, where house-to-house visits are helping identify eye conditions earlier.

In the tea gardens of Jaflong, I saw eye care brought directly to workers and their families. A simple pair of glasses can transform not only someone’s ability to work and earn, but also their confidence and quality of life.

In Cox’s Bazar, I visited vision centers serving both host and Rohingya communities, including services inside the camps at Balukhali and Ukhiya, as well as outreach screening programs. I also met with a child cataract patient whose sight had been restored through surgery; a powerful reminder of what timely care can achieve in even the most challenging settings.

Further discussions with partners including the Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons, PKSF, and leading hospitals focused on strengthening training, scaling community identification and referral, and expanding the use of digital tools such as Cybersight and VR simulation in ophthalmic education.

In Mongolia, conversations with the Ministry of Health, WHO, UNICEF, and clinical partners focused on building a more integrated national eye health system across a vast geography. Priorities included expanding access in rural and nomadic populations, strengthening the ophthalmic workforce, and responsibly using AI and telemedicine to support screening and referral.

At the National Center for Maternal and Child Health, I saw important progress in paediatric eye care, including expanded services for retinopathy of prematurity and growing capacity to serve children nationwide. At Third Central Hospital, discussions focused on how innovation, including AI-supported glaucoma screening, can help extend specialist care and improve early detection.

Across all three countries, one theme stood out clearly: progress depends on strong institutions, skilled people, and partnerships that are built for the long term.

I am deeply grateful to Orbis teams, our hospital and government partners, and the many clinicians and community workers who shared their time and expertise throughout these visits. It was a privilege to witness this work firsthand.