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Simul Can Play

April 05, 2017

Four-year-old Simul has had a very difficult childhood. His mother and father left him when he was only a small baby, and he was raised by his grandmother. At an early age, he began to have difficulty seeing. His grandmother heard about an eye health outreach program happening in their town and took Simul to be examined.

Flying Eye Hospital Lands in Jamaica

March 27, 2019

The first Flying Eye Hospital project of 2019 is under way – marking the 8th time the plane has landed in Jamaica and our 25th project in the Caribbean!

Season's greetings

Season's greetings from everyone at Orbis. We wish you an amazing holiday season and a great 2019!

Orbis Appeal: changing the way the world sees

December 17, 2018

Make no mistake: our Orbis supporters have changed and saved lives. Supporters, like you, believe it is our shared duty to lend a hand wherever there is a need — and we are grateful for your partnership.

Explore the history of the Flying Eye Hospital

For more than 25 years, the Flying Eye Hospital has been at the cutting edge of aviation, technology and change – bringing vital eye care to thousands of people worldwide.

Meet the bear with the best job ever!

December 19, 2018

Our volunteers fly all over the world to fight avoidable blindness. But, while they’re giving the gift of sight, there’s a particularly fluffy member of our team making a different kind of impact…

Which Orbis Hero are you? Take the quiz today

December 19, 2018

Take this fun quiz to find out which member of the Flying Eye Hospital crew you'd be.

And don't forget to share your results!

What's in your eye?

December 20, 2018

The human eye is an amazing organ! Let’s take an in-sight-ful look at what’s actually happening inside your eye. Warning: this article couldn’t be cornea... see what we did there?

Combining tech & hands-on training to help more people see

March 25, 2019

Here at Orbis we recognize that the need for innovative technologies and global collaboration is more important than ever in the fight against avoidable blindness. That's why we've developed special 'blended learning' courses - alongside partners such as the Alcon Foundation - to boost the skills of eye care teams around the world.

Vote for Chief Pilot Gary Dyson

February 14, 2019

We’re delighted to announce our Chief Pilot Captain Gary Dyson has been nominated for an Endeavor Award. This prestigious award recognizes pilots who go above and beyond and give back to their communities through volunteering.

A life dedicated to fighting blindness in Mongolia

February 14, 2019

As one of the most qualified cataract ophthalmologists in Mongolia Dr. Enkhutshin's work ethic is pretty inspiring. With the country's cataract rates so high and a cataract surgical rate the lowest in Asia, she's committed to fighting blindness in her country by sharing her top class eye care skills with local eye care teams.

Orbis CEO unveils new program in Bangladesh

February 21, 2019

A staggering one-third of 10 million diabetics in Bangladesh risk going blind because so many sufferers go undiagnosed. A new project in the Gopalganj district - unveiled by our CEO Bob Ranck - is dedicated to combating an explosion of blindness caused by diabetes.

Chief Pilot Gary Dyson Wins Endeavor Award

March 04, 2019

We’re thrilled to announce our wonderful Flying Eye Hospital Chief Pilot, Gary Dyson, has won an Endeavor Award. The award recognizes pilots who go above and beyond to transform lives by volunteering their time and skills to good causes.

International Women's Day: Meet Orbis hero Valerie Suberg

March 07, 2019

In honor of International Women's Day we're delighted to introduce you to a vital member of the Orbis family - Valerie Suberg - our Senior Manager of Aircraft Maintenance. Without this incredible woman, our Flying Eye Hospital would never get off the ground - literally.

How we're run

At Orbis, everything we do is guided by our vision to transform lives through the prevention and treatment of blindness. We have high standards for how we achieve this. We know that without you millions of people would be needlessly blind throughout the world.

Jamaica 2006: Building Lasting Partnerships

March 22, 2019

The first Flying Eye Hospital program of 2019 will be taking place in Jamaica at the beginning of April – marking the 8th time our crew have visited this beautiful island.

Full Screen Flying Eye Hospital Tour

Partnering with influential women in the community

In 2017 we began partnering with 'Queen Mothers' - respected women who have influential positions in their communities, to help improve public awareness on eye care in Ghana.

Flying Eye Hospital Lands in Chile For State-of-the-Art Simulation Training

May 16, 2019

The Flying Eye Hospital has touched down in Santiago, Chile, for the very first time ahead of its second project of 2019. Thanks to the generosity of our project sponsor Collins Aerospace, we will focus on strengthening the skills of local teams through cutting-edge simulation training.

Vietnam: Trinh's Journey to Clear Sight

Looking at 15-year-old Trinh now, you would never know that she had undergone surgery on both eyes. However prior to her operation, a serious collision with a truck had left her with a severe case of strabismus, which made it very difficult for her to see.

Cataracts: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment

Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness and visual impairment in the world, accounting for around 35% of global blindness according to the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness. But what are cataracts, what are their main causes and what can be done to treat or prevent them?

Update: Women Deliver 2019

June 05, 2019

We're fortunate to have some extraordinary women at the heart of the Orbis family. Right now, five of us are at the Women Deliver conference in Canada where thousands of people have come together to tackle the biggest issues women and girls face around the world.

See Her Potential

June 02, 2019

Blindness is a gender issue – one that leaves millions of women and girls without the same access to quality eye care that men receive. Thanks to our amazing local partners and committed supporters, we're working to close the gender blindness gap and help women and girls reach their full potential.

Five Reasons Blindness Is A Gender Issue

May 28, 2019

Gender is something that’s discussed a lot these days, but no one is talking about the gender gap in blindness – 139 million women & girls are living with blindness and vision loss. That's 25 million more women than men.

So why does this injustice exist? Here are five reasons...

Watch this robot.... fight blindness!

May 24, 2019

The world is on the cusp of a tech revolution and more skilled tasks are being performed by machines than ever before – like fighting avoidable blindness around the world…

Denzil's Cataract Surgery On Board Our Flying Eye Hospital

May 15, 2019

According to the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness over 1.1 million people suffer from vision loss in the Caribbean, with Cataract accounting for 50% of this.

Orbis CEO Unveils First Children’s Initiative in India’s Poorest Region

April 15, 2019

In Bihar, India, over 700,000 people are blind with less than half unable to access sight-saving surgery. The region also has the lowest literacy rates for girls and half of the population currently lives below the poverty line.

Q and A with Dr. Bradford Lee - First-Time Volunteer Faculty

May 15, 2019

Oculoplastics surgeon Dr. Bradford Lee joined the Orbis family in March 2019 to share his top class skills with local eye doctors from across the Caribbean. The former Cellist and Pianist works at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami, Florida. We sat down with him in Kingston to find out more about his first experience with Orbis.

Jamaica: Flying Eye Hospital Project Highlights

May 15, 2019

The Flying Eye Hospital and our family of staff, crew and Volunteer Faculty have recently returned from a hugely successful 19-day program in Kingston, Jamaica.

Below we share some amazing images and brand new updates from our partners and volunteers.

The Teachers Making A Difference In Eye Health

May 02, 2019

Those who can, teach. For many of the children we've worked with, it was school that first revealed issues with their sight. So as it's Teacher Appreciation Week, we're paying tribute to the wonderful, hard-working individuals who do so much to help their students. Read some of their stories below.

Flying Eye Hospital Jamaica Project In Numbers

April 29, 2019

When you think of Jamaica, you might imagine clear waters, white sand and beautiful views. But did you know that many people in the Caribbean are suffering from treatable blinding conditions?

Life On Board The Flying Eye Hospital: 10 questions with Celia Yeung

May 14, 2019

Communications manager, Celia, has just completed her last Flying Eye Hospital project in Kingston, Jamaica. We took a moment to sit down with one of the most inspiring members of the Orbis family and reflect on her incredible work over the past seven and a half years.

Flying Eye Hospital Celebrates First All-Female Flight Crew

April 25, 2019

We have some exciting news! Our Flying Eye Hospital welcomed its first ever all-female flight crew last week on a flight between Kingston, Jamaica and Memphis, Tennessee.

Birketo can see his grandson again

December 10, 2018

As we’re celebrating two decades of sight-saving work in Ethiopia we’re sharing stories of the lives being transformed thanks to the Orbis family. One of the people we caught up with is Birketo. He was almost totally blind for three years but thanks to an Orbis-sponsored cataract program he can now see again.

The women fighting blindness in Zambia

In 2015 we conducted a research initiative to investigate why fewer women than men were accessing cataract surgical treatment in the Northwest province.

Orbis International Gala 2019

When: Thursday 17th October, 2019 6:30 p.m. - Cocktails; 7:30 p.m. - Dinner

Where: The St. Regis, New York City

Please join us for cocktails and dinner as we celebrate the work of Orbis and the generous supporters who make it possible.

The Flying Eye Hospital joins Boeing at the Seattle Museum of Flight

July 26, 2018

The Flying Eye Hospital has touched down at Boeing Field, Seattle and will be open for public tours on the weekends of 28th and 29th July and 4th and 5th August. We have a longstanding partnership with Boeing and are thrilled to be able to showcase the plane to Boeing staff who have worked so hard to help get this project off the ground.

Orbis joint winner of photo competition

September 20, 2018

A photo beautifully capturing Orbis’s sight-saving work is the joint winner of a photo competition aiming to raise awareness of the work being done to beat neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) around the world.

Mongolia: Flying Eye Hospital wrap-up

September 18, 2018

The Flying Eye Hospital left Mongolia earlier this month following the completion of another memorable and successful project.

Orbis and Visulytix Collaborate on New AI Technology

September 10, 2018

A new collaboration brings together our telemedicine platform, Cybersight, and artificial intelligence technology to fight avoidable blindness and change the way the world sees.

Fighting blindness with clean water in Ethiopia

August 20, 2018

It's World Water Week and we're celebrating the role that clean water plays in the fight against blindness. Trachoma is a painful, contagious bacterial infection which can cause blindness. It was eradicated in most industrialized nations by the 1950s but is still common in areas of the world where poor sanitation and lack of clean water are common.

Dr Rudy Wagner invites you to join Team Orbis

This is Dr Rudy Wagner, Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and long time Orbis Volunteer Faculty member. Dr Wagner has been part of Team Orbis since the early 1980s and he wants you to join too.

Saliou wants you to join Team Orbis

This story has a happy ending for Saliou thanks to the amazing support of people like you. Our expert volunteers, local partners, dedicated staff and wonderful supporters all come together to make a great team - a team that fights blindness and saves sight in communities around the world.

Glasses study shows huge productivity boost for workers

July 23, 2018

A landmark study, published today in The Lancet Global Health, showcases how a simple pair of glasses can boost workers’ productivity and reduce poverty.

Flying Eye Hospital lands in Ethiopia for World Sight Day

October 05, 2018

The Flying Eye Hospital has landed in Ethiopia ️to help celebrate World Sight Day and our 20th anniversary of sight saving work there.

Celebrating 20 years of fighting blindness in Ethiopia

July 31, 2018

We’re proud to announce a huge milestone – we’re now celebrating 20 years of fighting blindness in Ethiopia. Our Addis Ababa office was officially registered in 1998 and became our very first program office outside the US.

An Orbis first: live video consultation with Doctor in Syria

July 16, 2018

One of our Volunteer Faculty members held a live video consultation with a doctor in Syria last week, showing that technology can help us have an impact in places we would not otherwise be able to reach.

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Providing eye care to Rohingya people in Bangladesh

June 19, 2018

Since February we've been screening and treating Rohingya people in South East Bangladesh. As the first eye care organisation to establish services within the camps, we've been working with local partners to deliver 2,763 treatments in just two months.

Orbis launches BOOST app in collaboration with partners

June 18, 2018

We are excited to announce the launch of a brand new app developed with some amazing partners designed to help measure, analyze and improve success rates in cataract surgery. The free app is a brilliant example of how the sector can come together and use the latest technology to help change the way the world sees.

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Interactive timeline: 20 years in Ethiopia

In 2018, we celebrated 20 years of fighting blindness in Ethiopia. Take a moment to scroll through the highlights from this amazing milestone. A big thank you to all our wonderful staff, partners and volunteers, without whom, none of this would be possible.

World Sight Day - #WhyICare

October 08, 2018

11th October is World Sight Day 2018 and we're taking the opportunity to ask our supporters and partners to tell us why they care about eye care - #WhyICare.

Meet The Women Fighting Blindness in Bangladesh

The Singra Vision Center in Bangladesh is a unique place to go for eye care. It’s successfully run by three hardworking and dedicated eye health professionals who are all women in their 20s.

New eLearning course launched in modern cataract surgery

October 30, 2018

We’re delighted to announce that a new e-learning course in Phacoemulsification - recognized as the gold-standard in cataract surgery – has been rolled out across our award-winning telemedicine platform, Cybersight.

Helping women fight trachoma in Ethiopia

We recently celebrated our 20th anniversary working in Ethiopia. For the past two decades, we've been part of the international consortium leading the elimination efforts of blinding trachoma, an infectious disease that affects women disproportionately.

Blindness Gender Inequality - Women & Girls

Blindness is a gender issue that no one is talking about. There are 139 million women & girls living with blindness - that's 25 million more women than men. Below, we explore the reasons behind this injustice and profile some of the women who are doing something about it. After all, a brighter future for women is a brighter future for the planet.

Giving Tuesday

Giving Tuesday is a day for doing good – for supporting the organizations you care about and making more of their important work possible. And this year, if you choose to support Orbis, your gifts will go even further!

Technology and Innovation In Eye Care

With avoidable blindness set to triple by 2050, we need to reverse the trend before it’s too late. The old way simply isn’t working. We need to push boundaries and lead from the front of eye health innovation now, if we’re going to help ensure a brighter tomorrow.

Tsehay's story: 'Orbis helped me change my life'

November 15, 2018

As we celebrate 20 years of sight-saving work in Ethiopia, let us introduce you to Tsehay - an Orbis-trained Eye Care Worker. The 'mother of eyes' has changed the lives of an incredible 600 patients with blinding trachoma. She's extremely passionate about her work and dreams of becoming an ophthalmic nurse one day.

World Diabetes Day: the hidden risk of blindness

November 13, 2018

14th November is World Diabetes Day and we’re shining a spotlight on the role that the Orbis family is playing in tackling one of the fastest growing causes of avoidable blindness – diabetic retinopathy.

Ethiopia: Flying Eye Hospital project wrap-up

October 29, 2018

The Flying Eye Hospital and our family of staff, crew and Volunteer Faculty have completed a hugely successful and energizing three-week program in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Show you care this World Sight Day

October 10, 2018

Thursday 11th October is World Sight Day - a day to raise awareness of the millions of people who still don’t have access to decent eye care around the world.

Saving Meskenem’s sight with a simple screening

October 24, 2018

To celebrate two decades of sight-saving work in Ethiopia we’re sharing stories of the lives being transformed thanks to the Orbis family. This time round we're introduced to a sweet little girl called Meskenem, who has been living with blinding trachoma-like symptoms for a whole year.

Abiyot's story: Making an impact on an entire community

October 19, 2018

Thanks to our amazing partners and supporters we've been transforming lives in Ethiopia for 20 years. We want to take this opportunity to celebrate the important role played by members of the Orbis family. This is the story of Abiyot - an Integrated Eye Care Workers (IECW) - based in Gamo Gofa, Ethiopia.

Tackling Trachoma in Ethiopia: School Eye Care Clubs

October 17, 2018

This year marks 20 years of sight-saving work in Ethiopia. One of the many life-changing initiatives we have been spearheading in the country to improve eye care and vision loss, is treating and preventing the spread of trachoma in schools.

Mandido can support her family again

October 14, 2018

Mandido has lived with trachoma for the past three years, which has had a profound effect on her ability to work and support her family. Her husband suffers from a chronic illness and is unable to work meaning the 50-year-old grandma’s sight is crucial for their future.

New book raises awareness of vision loss among children in Ethiopia

October 12, 2018

A free illustrated storybook, ‘The Singing Tree’, designed to encourage school children to seek help if their vision is poor, has been launched in Ethiopia.

Orbis Mourns Death of Longtime Board Member, Bruce Whitman

October 11, 2018

We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of longtime Board Member, Bruce Whitman. Bruce passed away early Wednesday, October 10, with his family by his side.

Women Deliver: Seven take-aways

June 18, 2019

This June, over 8,000 extraordinary people came together at Women Deliver in Vancouver to share ideas and champion a more equal world for women across the globe. Here are some takeaways that we found inspiring:

Watch: Bob's mid-year message

Bob's July message focuses on some of the great wins we've already had in 2019 and some of the pledges and successes we're set to have in the build up to 2020. It's been a great year so far, keep up the good work.

Watch below:

Dr Elizabeth Castro

Technical Support Specialist, Alcon Laboratories Inc. California.

Press release: Orbis International Secures a Half-Million Dollars from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation

February 27, 2020

NEW YORK, March 2, 2019 – The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation will invest USD $500,000 to support the sight-saving work Orbis International carries out on its Flying Eye Hospital, the world’s only fully accredited ophthalmic teaching hospital on board an MD-10 aircraft.

Focus on Telemedicine

March 11, 2020

Cybersight is our award winning remote training and education platform. It was launched in 2003 to allow health teams around the world to access our training and education tools anywhere, anytime - and it looks like it's going to play a bigger part in our plans for 2020 than anyone imagined.

Around The World In 8 Smiles

With so many people having to put their travel plans on hold, we're offering you the chance to take a trip around the world in 8 smiles - and meet some of the children whose sight has been saved by Orbis supporters like you!

Just Plane Awesome: Ten Facts About The Amazing Flying Eye Hospital

March 10, 2020

The Flying Eye Hospital is a one-of-a-kind aircraft, specially designed to take our expert medical team and their teaching hospital anywhere in the world! Here are our favorite facts about this amazing aircraft...

Press Release: Orbis International Commences First-Ever Training Program in the United States

March 10, 2020

Orbis International commences first ever Flying Eye Hospital training project on US soil - welcoming partners from Bolivia, Peru, Chile, Colombia and Mexico.

International Women's Day 2020

March 06, 2020

Worldwide, there are 25 million more women with visual impairment than men. This Sunday is International Women’s Day, which is an opportunity to shine a light on this blindness gender gap.

Ghana: Hakeema Can Thrive At School Without Her Squint

February 27, 2020

We met this bundle of energy during our recent Flying Eye Hospital project in Ghana. Hakeema was treated for squint by our team of volunteer doctors and local partners at the Korle Bu Eye Centre.

Rohingya BOOST data

Quiz: Guess the year

March 11, 2020

Rohingya eye care data

Ophthalmic Provisional Staff Nurse

February 24, 2020

While we currently do not have any open vacancies for an Ophthalmic Provisional Staff Nurse, we continue to accept applications for the role. If you're an ophthalmic nurse who wants to work in public health and are willing to travel intensive role, we'd love to hear from you! We'll reach out when there's an opening on the team again.

Press Release: Orbis among Top 100 Proposals for MacArthur $100 Million Grant

February 19, 2020

Orbis and partners in the Vision 4 Africa consortium among high-scoring 100&Change applications featured in Bold Solutions Network.

Legal​ Volunteer​ ​

February 18, 2020

The legal volunteer will work directly with the Orbis General Counsel (an experienced attorney who has practiced law for over ten years) and will be assigned tasks and projects based on their unique knowledge, skill sets, talents and interests. The volunteer should be able to commit to at least 1 day per week for a minimum of 6 months.

Love Is In The Air On Our Flying Eye Hospital

February 13, 2020

As today is Valentine's Day and we’re a romantic bunch here at Orbis, we wanted to share a heartwarming story about two pilots, Captains Cheryl and Pete Pitzer, who are not only in love with the Flying Eye Hospital – but also each other.

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Covid-19 update

As we monitor the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), Orbis has contingency plans in place to protect our people, partners and volunteers, as well as our mission.

Heroes of Orbis: Dr. Daniel Neely M.D.

Dr. Daniel Neely is Senior Medical Consultant for Orbis Cybersight and Professor of Ophthalmology at Indiana University School of Medicine specializing in pediatric ophthalmology and eye muscle problems in adults.

Dai's world was a blur — until now

January 28, 2020

Imagine that you are nine years old. All you want is to spend your days playing with friends outside, riding your bike and exploring your neighborhood. But the world is a strange, dangerous place … because you were born with cataracts. When you can’t see clearly, even walking out your front door is scary.

Dr. Andrew Choyce Provides Critical Care on Front-lines of Pandemic

April 20, 2020

This is Dr. Andrew Choyce, Orbis Staff Anesthesiologist. Andrew started volunteering with us 15 years ago, but for the last 10 years has been working for us part time - splitting his hours between the Flying Eye Hospital and his London Hospitals, Kings College & the Maudsley.

Plan Your Giving

A planned gift can provide for your loved ones and for charity. See your tax advantages if you plan your gifts of savings accounts, retirement benefits, insurance policies, and other assets.

Telemedicine is “the future” says Orbis Cybersight founder Dr. Gene Helveston

May 18, 2020

Millions of people around the world have found themselves relying on telecommunication tools like Zoom and Microsoft Teams due to the global lockdown. Here at Orbis, we’ve been pioneering these very practices for 20 years thanks to largely to one man.

Kids Boredom Busters: Learn About Healthy Sight With Orbis

May 05, 2020

We understand that keeping the kids entertained and stimulated can be a real challenge these days. Relax! Let us help you out with these fun and educational activities - all super easy for you to download and the little ones to do from the comfort of your home. Scroll down the page & let's learn about healthy sight together!

Using Cybersight to help diagnose and treat urgent cases during lockdown

April 30, 2020

Orbis partner Dr. Khauv is a Cambodian ophthalmologist who has been using Cybersight for more than a decade, seeking consultations on nearly 200 patients. Thanks to the support of Orbis Volunteer Faculty Dr. Shaikh, he was able to diagnose and treat an urgent case, even in the midst of a pandemic.

Dr. Gordillo's urgent work saving the sight of premature babies continues

May 10, 2020

We have a wonderful Mother's Day story about an Orbis partner who is committed to helping premature babies avoid living a life of unnecessary blindness, even in the middle of a pandemic.

Orbis Nurse Xiao Ying Helps Colleagues Around the World Protect Themselves Against Coronavirus

May 01, 2020

Xiao Ying is a nurse from a small village in Wuhan, China. While Wuhan became synonymous with the first confirmed cases of Covid-19 Xiao Ying has been using her infection control expertise, and years of teaching experience gained on the Flying Eye Hospital, to help colleagues around the world protect themselves against the virus.

Biomedical Engineer

April 13, 2020

While we currently do not have any open vacancies for a Biomedical Engineer, we continue to accept applications for the role. If you're a Biomedical Engineer who wants to work in public health and are willing to travel intensively, we'd love to hear from you! We'll reach out when there's an opening on the team again.

Covid-19 response

March 18, 2020

We wanted to take a moment to outline Orbis’s response to the current public health situation. As we’re sure you can imagine we've had to rethink some of our plans for 2020. Below is an outline of how things currently stand.

Heroes of Orbis: Dr. Donny Suh

Dr. Donny Suh is a Volunteer Faculty member who has worked with Orbis for over 20 years on 16 sight-saving programs! He is Chief of Pediatric Ophthalmology at Children’s Hospital and Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska. He also teaches at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and treats patients at Nebraska Medicine.