Strengthening Eye Care in Vietnam

The week-long training project brought together a global team of specialists including surgeon Dr. Joon Kim (Salt Lake City, USA), anesthetist Dr. Andrew Choyce (London, UK), and scrub nurse Mr. Gregg Tew (Salt Lake City, USA). Together, they delivered comprehensive training to 11 Vietnamese eye care professionals, including four hands-on trainees (two ophthalmologists, one anesthesiologist, and one scrub nurse) and seven observing physicians from leading institutions.

During the project, 41 children were pre-screened through Cybersight, our telemedicine and e-learning platform, with 21 examined on-site and 16 young patients receiving sight-saving surgery. Each operation improved a child’s quality of life while providing vital hands-on learning for local clinicians.

Under expert supervision, local teams performed procedures such as congenital ptosis correction, tumor and cyst removal, and orbital reconstruction. By guiding participants through diagnosis, planning, surgery, and post-operative care, the training built clinical confidence and consistency across the entire care pathway.

Image gallery: Local teams receive expert training

There aren’t enough eye care professionals to meet global demand—over 1 billion people live with preventable vision loss and blindness. At Orbis we address this by building long-term relationships with local hospitals, providing specialist training, as well as resource and governance support.

This approach equips local teams with the skills and resources they need to deliver high-quality care, strengthening surgical techniques, diagnostic skills, and patient education practices with lasting impact.

Training in Hanoi wasn’t just about 11 individuals—these local professionals now serve as mentors and leaders, creating a ripple effect that improves access to eye care across Vietnam, especially for children in underserved areas, for generations to come.

We’d like to say a huge thank you to our volunteers, local partners at the National Children’s Hospital, and of course, our supporters, without whom none of this would be possible.