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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.

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.

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Medical Strategy Committee

We are honored to have the following members serve on our Medical Strategy Committee.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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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!

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Video: Changing the way the world sees

April 05, 2018

Want to find out who we are and what we do? Well, watch this short video to know more. A big thank you to all our supporters, local partners and volunteers for helping change the way the world sees.

World Health Day

April 06, 2018

This World Health Day, we are reaffirming our commitment to help bring quality eye care to everyone, no matter where they are born. This means ensuring the right people have the right skills to identify and deal with challenges effectively.

Privacy Policy

Project Orbis International, Inc. (“Orbis”) wants you to know how we use and protect the important information you provide to us through our websites, technology, applications, content, products, and services (our “Platforms”). This information summarizes our policy, procedures and practices.

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Unveiling new technology on board the Flying Eye Hospital

April 10, 2018

We have entered week two of our Flying Eye Hospital program in Trujillo, Peru. It’s been an eventful first week working alongside our partner Instituto Regional de Oftalmología (IRO) helping train and share skills with some truly inspirational people.

Changing the way the world sees

April 17, 2018

Thanks to your support we're always on the lookout for new ways to use technology to help build the skills of eye teams in communities around the world. By constantly innovating we're able to reach more people - more efficiently - than ever before.

Vintage footage of Orbis through the years

May 02, 2018

This is an amazing video put together by a former staff member featuring vintage footage of our Flying Eye Hospital in the news in the 1980s. You’ll see ‘Project Orbis’ in Cuba during the Cold War, improving relations between the Turks and Greeks in Cyprus and even hosting Mother Theresa.

Give monthly

Everybody deserves the chance to see the sunset in the evening or the smile on a baby's face. You can help people do just that by becoming a Partner in Sight and giving a monthly gift to Orbis.

Flights for sight

Together with our incredible team of volunteer doctors, nurses and pilots, our Flights for Sight members are crucial to powering our one-of-a-kind hospital on a plane.

Power the Plane

Together with our incredible team of volunteer doctors, nurses and pilots, our Flights for Sight members are crucial to powering our one-of-a-kind hospital on a plane.

In Photos: Changing lives in Cameroon – Saliou

May 10, 2018

We recently visited Cameroon to see how your support is transforming lives and we picked up a few inspiring stories to share with you.

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Barbados: Flying Eye Hospital Program Wrap-Up

June 11, 2018

The Orbis Flying Eye Hospital leaves Barbados after a successful two week training program helping improve eye care across the Caribbean.

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How One Nurse and her Patient Were Reunited on board the Flying Eye Hospital

May 11, 2018

Jose was a healthy, happy five-year-old playing outside near his home in Lima, Peru when he fell victim to a chance accident. Read about Jose's story below and how he was reunited years later with the nurse who helped him recover from his surgery on the Flying Eye Hospital....

Flying Eye Hospital Lands in Barbados

May 14, 2018

The Flying Eye Hospital has landed in Barbados for its two-week regional conference with the Ophthalmological Society of the West Indies. This is the first time the plane has ever touched down in Barbados.

Annual President’s Club Dinner

May 29, 2018

Our Annual President’s Club Dinner took place on Wednesday, April 25th 2018 in New York City, and brought together supporters and Orbis Country Directors, who gave updates directly from the field. We've selected some of the highlights for you to enjoy below.

Dr William Dean

Clinical Research Fellow, International Center for Eye Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Dr Elethia Dean

Nursing Certification, Consultant, ASC Compliant LLC.

Dr Michael Vrabec

Clinical Instructor of Ophthalmology, Medical College of Wisconsin

Dr Rudy Wagner

Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School

Dr Kakarla V. Chalam

Professor & Director of Retina, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, California.

Dr Nathan Schwartz

Red Lion Surgery Center, Philadelphia

Dr Alessia Adduci

Faculty Department of Anesthesia & Intensive Care, Catholic University of Rome

Dr Elizabeth Castro

Technical Support Specialist, Alcon Laboratories Inc. California.

Technology and Innovation

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.

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.

Flying Eye Hospital - take a tour

Find out more about this amazing aircraft or take a virtual reality tour - the next best thing to visiting it in person.

Glaucoma: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment

According to the International Agency for the Prevention Blindness glaucoma is the third leading cause of blindness in the world, affecting around 3 million people. But what is glaucoma, how is it caused and what can be done to treat or prevent it?

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.

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?

Associate, Midlevel Gifts

August 22, 2019

As a critical member of the U.S. Development Department, the Associate, Midlevel Gifts is responsible for a portfolio of midlevel donors. They will work with the Manager, Major Gifts to meet midlevel giving revenue targets, maintain excellence and support expansion by identifying, cultivating, soliciting and stewarding midlevel donors in the U.S.

Operations Coordinator- Travel & Logistics

June 07, 2019

As a member of the Operations Department, the Travel and Logistics Coordinator is responsible for administering all aspects of Orbis’s travel and logistics in conjunction with the World Travel Services (WTS) team, Travel Management Company, partners, affiliates, and Orbis departments worldwide.

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.

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:

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.

Administrative Coordinator

June 27, 2019

As a member of the Global Program Department at Orbis Headquarters, the Administrative Coordinator will provide the day to day support required to successfully plan and implement the overseas deployment of members of Orbis’ international cadre of medical volunteers.

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:

In pictures: Bold-Erdene's Future Looks Bright

Bold-Erdene was 10 years old when volunteer oculoplastics surgeons treated his left eyelid on our Flying Eye Hospital in Mongolia.

Without that surgery to correct his ptosis in 2014 he would have been at risk of going blind in his left eye. Read more about how his life has been transformed thanks to your support!

The View From The Cockpit: 10 Questions With Captain Gary Dyson

July 18, 2019

Orbis’s Chief Pilot, Gary Dyson, quite literally leads our fight against avoidable blindness – he is a FedEx employee who volunteers his free time to help our Flying Eye Hospital land safely in communities around the world. We took a moment with Gary to reflect on his lifetime dedicated to giving back and changing lives.​

Why I'm a Partner in Sight

July 30, 2019

As one of Orbis’s volunteer doctors, I already donate my time and skills to the fight against avoidable blindness – so why do I also give a monthly donation?

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...

Vietnam: Young Tam saved from a life of blindness

July 30, 2019

Tam from Quy Nhon, Vietnam, struggled with his vision from an early age. But thanks to your support, and the work of our Vietnam country office and partners we were able to give Tam his sight back without any cost to his family. Tam was diagnosed with bilateral cataracts and had it not been spotted in time, he would have been blind permanently.

Office Facilities Coordinator

August 12, 2019

The Operations Team at the Orbis headquarters office in New York focuses on 4 major functional areas: Global Travel, Global Safety & Security, Supply Chain & Logistics, and Local Facilities Management.

VIetnam: Phuong no longer teased at school

August 01, 2019

Phuong from Hoai Nhon, Vietnam, was three months old when her family first spotted her crossed-eyes. After years of wrongly being told that glasses would fix her poor vision, an Orbis-supported school screening program finally gave little Phuong & her anxious mother hope for the future.

Accounts Payable Coordinator

August 04, 2019

As a member of the Orbis NY Finance Team, the Accounts Payable (A/P) Coordinator performs accounting and administrative functions to enable the Finance department to operate efficiently and effectively.

Vietnam Nothing Can Stand In Khang's Way Now He Can See

August 06, 2019

Khang, 6, from Vietnam was born with ptosis later developing a squint which - if left untreated - can cause blindness. Thanks to the help of our supporters and amazing partners enabling him to have the two sight-saving surgeries he needed, this bright boy can look forward to a bright future.

Flying Eye Hospital Prepares For Vietnam

August 08, 2019

Our Flying Eye Hospital staff and crew are gearing up for the next project in Hue, Vietnam, marking its 10th trip to this beautiful country. The three-week project - due to begin later this month - will be focusing on diabetic retinopathy, retinopathy of prematurity and childhood blindness.

Dr. Wayman: Using Technology To Improve Eye Care In Peru

August 13, 2019

Dr. Laura Wayman has been a part of the Orbis Volunteer Faculty family for just over a year-and-a-half. In her day job she is Vice Chair for Education at the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt University Nashville, Tennessee.

Flying Eye Hospital Lands in Vietnam

August 21, 2019

Our world-class Flying Eye Hospital has arrived in Hue, Vietnam, for a three-week teaching and training project working alongside the Ministry of Health and the Hue Eye Hospital.

Orbis Airports Quiz: Crack The Code

August 21, 2019

How well do you know your EYE from your POO? Take our fun airport code quiz to find out, and make sure you sign up for all the latest news from our Flying Hospital as it travels the world fighting blindness.

Peru: Building A Sustainable Future For Eye Health

We've been working alongside local partners to fight blindness in Peru since 2002; taking a comprehensive and sustainable approach to improve the quality of health systems and services, build the skills of local eye teams & educate communities on eye health awareness.

Press Release: Orbis Appoints New CFO

August 28, 2019

NEW YORK, Aug. 27, 2019 – Orbis International today announced the appointment of Danusia Dzierzbinski as Chief Financial Officer. Orbis, a leading global non-governmental organization, has been a pioneer in the prevention and treatment of avoidable blindness for over 30 years. Dzierzbinski will join the organization’s Executive Leadership Team.

Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist

September 10, 2019

As a member of the Global Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) Team, the M&E Specialist supports country offices in Africa, Asia, Latin American and the Caribbean with technical M&E expertise.

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.

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…

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.

Where we're going in 2019

After a busy beginning to the year with awareness raising tours and aircraft maintenance, our Flying Eye Hospital team are preparing for more sight saving trips where they'll be taking some of the best eye teams in the business to share their skills in the communities that need it most.

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.