Orbis has announced that it is teaming up with Boeing to bring its Flying Eye Hospital to India virtually, in a project that will train 160 eye care professionals from across 10 states. The announcement is an important milestone this year, as Orbis celebrates 20 years of work in India, training eye care professionals and working with local partners to fight avoidable blindness. 

Orbis Flying Eye Hospital – the world’s only fully accredited ophthalmic teaching hospital on board an MD-10 aircraft – was due to land in Delhi this year for its 19th visit to India since 1988. With COVID-19, Orbis reimagined its Flying Eye Hospital trainings as virtual ones, ensuring that eye care professionals from across the country are trained by Orbis Volunteer Faculty (medical experts) and Orbis staff from 10 countries. 

Rishi Raj Borah, Country Director, Orbis India said, “We are thrilled to partner with Boeing and grateful for the company’s support of this virtual project, a shining example of what can be accomplished when two like-minded organizations commit to change.” 

“We're excited that Orbis is bringing their mission to mentor, train, and inspire eye care professionals to bring long-term sustainable eye care to local communities in India now,” said Salil Gupte, President, Boeing India. 

The virtual Flying Eye Hospital project will be carried out through Orbis’s award-winning telemedicine platform, Cybersight. Orbis will provide tailor-made courses to help eye care professionals improve their knowledge and skills in the following areas: medical retina procedures related to diabetic eye disease, cataract surgery, ophthalmic nursing and biomedical engineering. The participants – which include ophthalmologists and residents, nurses, and biomedical engineers and technicians – will be engaged through pre-learning modules, recorded lectures, and live lectures & discussion sessions.

In an especially innovative model, the cataract course includes remote simulation training so that participants can hone their cataract surgical techniques on artificial eyes before operating on patients directly. By recording and uploading videos of their practice, participants will receive evaluation and feedback from Orbis Volunteer Faculty.

In addition to India, virtual Flying Eye Hospital projects have also been offered for eye care professionals from Bolivia, Cameroon, Chile, Ghana, Ethiopia, Mongolia, Peru and Zambia this year.