Hailey Tran
Orbis International is a non-profit organisation that delivers sight-saving programs in over 200 countries and regions worldwide. It is best known for its Flying Eye Hospital, a one-of-a-kind aircraft that is both a teaching hospital and a fully accredited ophthalmic teaching facility. The hospital has been in operation since 1982 and combines medicine and aviation to provide eye care treatments and training to local eye care teams in developing countries. The aircraft features a classroom, an operating room, a recovery room, and a state-of-the-art mobile simulation centre, allowing eye care professionals to practice complex surgical procedures in a safe environment. The Flying Eye Hospital averages three trips a year, each lasting two to three weeks, and has helped to enhance the skills of 325,000 eye care personnel and provided treatment to more than 23.3 million people worldwide.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of trips per year | 3 |
| Trip duration | 2-3 weeks |
| Aircraft type | McDonnell Douglas DC-10 |
| Aircraft capacity | >40 passengers |
| Features | Operating room, classroom, recovery room, AV room, offices, laser treatment room |
| Training methods | Virtual reality, artificial eyes, life-like manikins, 3D screens, live observation |
| Training focus | Cataract, glaucoma, retina, pediatric, other sub-specialties |
| Water sanitation | Ultraviolet lights, carbon filters, bromide injector |
| Accreditation | Fully accredited ophthalmic teaching hospital |
| Reach | 200+ countries |
| Beneficiaries | 325,000 eye care personnel, 23.3 million patients |
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What You'll Learn
- Orbis's Flying Eye Hospital is a teaching hospital with wings
- The hospital has been working to prevent blindness around the world
- Orbis builds strong and sustainable eye care systems globally
- The aircraft features a state-of-the-art mobile simulation centre
- The hospital treats patients and educates healthcare workers in their communities
Orbis's Flying Eye Hospital is a teaching hospital with wings
Orbis International is a non-profit organisation that has been delivering sight-saving programs in over 200 countries and regions worldwide since 1982. The organisation's Flying Eye Hospital is a one-of-a-kind aircraft that serves as a fully accredited ophthalmic teaching hospital on board an MD-10 aircraft.
The Flying Eye Hospital is a unique initiative that combines medicine and aviation to bring vital eye care to thousands of people worldwide. It is equipped with an operating room, a classroom, and a recovery room, allowing it to provide both treatment and education during its missions. The aircraft also features a state-of-the-art mobile simulation centre, where eye care professionals can practice complex surgical procedures using virtual reality, artificial eyes, and life-like manikins. This simulation training helps to improve surgical outcomes for patients.
The Flying Eye Hospital averages three trips a year, each lasting two to three weeks. The aircraft is invited to help train local eye care teams in the countries where it lands. It provides training not only to doctors and nurses but also to biomedical technicians and other eye care professionals. The local medical personnel are able to watch live surgeries and simulations, which helps to strengthen the capacity of local partners to prevent and treat blindness.
In addition to its teaching and training activities, the Flying Eye Hospital also collaborates with local governments and organisations to advocate for investing in eye health for all. It works with local universities and healthcare institutions and manages a team of medical volunteers from various countries to provide expert training to their local partners. The hospital portion of the plane is made up of nine modules, which were prefabricated outside the aircraft and can be easily upgraded and resupplied.
Overall, the Orbis Flying Eye Hospital is a remarkable example of humanitarian flight, bringing the gift of sight and hope to patients in need of ophthalmic care around the globe.
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The hospital has been working to prevent blindness around the world
Orbis is an international nonprofit organisation delivering sight-saving programs in over 200 countries and regions worldwide. Since 1982, the Orbis Flying Eye Hospital has been working to prevent blindness worldwide. The hospital is the world's only fully accredited ophthalmic teaching hospital on board an MD-10 aircraft. It is a symbol of the marriage between medicine and aviation.
The Flying Eye Hospital is invited to help train local eye care teams by officials in every country where it lands. It provides a space to train doctors, nurses, biomedical technicians, and other eye care professionals. The hospital also opens its doors to prime ministers, presidents, and ministries of health, allowing Orbis to make the case for investing in eye health for all. The organisation then works in partnership with local hospitals to understand skills shortages and work where the need is greatest. This level of access has allowed Orbis to help change health policies for the better, reach eye care teams in need of training, improve the lives of those lacking access to care, and develop lasting bonds with people around the globe to ensure a long-term impact.
The aircraft features a state-of-the-art mobile simulation centre. Just as pilots learn to fly planes through simulation training, ophthalmology simulation training allows eye care teams to build their skills and confidence safely before progressing to real-life surgeries. Inside the Flying Eye Hospital, Orbis offers simulation training using technology like virtual reality, artificial eyes, and life-like manikins, allowing for complex surgical procedures to be broken down into smaller parts. This gives eye care professionals the opportunity to practice each step as many times as they need to get it right, something that’s not possible with an actual patient. As a result, simulation training has been shown to improve surgical outcomes for patients.
The Flying Eye Hospital also performs surgeries for cataracts, glaucoma, retina, paediatric, or other sub-specialties on the plane. Orbis staff conducts training lectures between surgeries. Each patient receives a post-op exam the day after surgery. Local ophthalmologists, residents, and nurses at partner hospitals also attend ophthalmic (eye-related) or nursing symposiums. Orbis performs millions of eye screenings and examinations for children every year.
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Orbis builds strong and sustainable eye care systems globally
Orbis is an international nonprofit organisation delivering sight-saving programs in over 200 countries and regions worldwide. It builds strong and sustainable eye care systems globally, putting treatment and prevention within reach for all. Orbis has been working to prevent blindness and enhance eye care systems since 1982. The organisation's capacity-building programs have enhanced the skills of 325,000 eye care personnel and provided medical and optical treatment to more than 23.3 million people in 92 countries.
Orbis achieves its mission through its Flying Eye Hospital, a one-of-a-kind aircraft that serves as a teaching hospital with wings. The hospital is equipped with an operating room, a classroom, and a recovery room, allowing Orbis to provide training to local eye care teams and advocate for investing in eye health for all. The aircraft also features a state-of-the-art mobile simulation centre, allowing eye care professionals to build their skills and confidence through simulation training before performing real-life surgeries. This simulation training includes the use of virtual reality, artificial eyes, and life-like manikins, improving surgical outcomes for patients.
The Flying Eye Hospital is invited to various countries, where it collaborates with local hospitals and governments to address skills shortages and work where the need is greatest. Orbis also works with local universities and healthcare institutions, managing a team of medical volunteers from different countries to provide expert training to local partners. The organisation emphasises skills training and self-sufficiency, ensuring that local teams are equipped to continue helping people even after the plane has left.
In addition to the Flying Eye Hospital, Orbis operates long-term country programs and works with local medical research and healthcare organisations to prevent blindness and treat eye diseases. The organisation also pushes for eye care to be integrated into national health programs, contributing to the development of specialised hospital facilities, eye banks, and prevention and treatment programs. Orbis's interventions are tailored to local needs, training local doctors in low-tech and low-cost yet effective methods to correct eye diseases.
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The aircraft features a state-of-the-art mobile simulation centre
The Orbis Flying Eye Hospital is a unique aircraft that combines medicine and aviation to deliver sight-saving programs in over 200 countries and regions worldwide. The current Flying Eye Hospital is Orbis's third aircraft, an MD-10 donated by FedEx. It is a state-of-the-art hospital that carries doctors, nurses, engineers, support staff, and supplies.
When the aircraft is not on a mission, it is often situated at an airport, with its fully accredited teaching facility utilised as a mobile simulation centre. Ophthalmologists from around the world can receive training in the latest sight-saving techniques. The passenger area of the aircraft doubles as a classroom, accommodating more than 40 passengers. Local physicians from Orbis's partners can board the aircraft and watch surgeries happening in the operating room live on a screen at the front of the room.
The Flying Eye Hospital averages three trips a year, each lasting two to three weeks. The setup of the aircraft and equipment as a hospital takes six to eight hours, and during these training programs, Orbis staff conduct training lectures between surgeries. Live surgeries are performed on the aircraft for various eye-related specialties, and patients receive post-op exams the day after their surgery.
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The hospital treats patients and educates healthcare workers in their communities
Orbis is an international nonprofit organisation that operates the Flying Eye Hospital, a unique aircraft that combines medicine and aviation. The Flying Eye Hospital is a fully accredited ophthalmic teaching hospital on board an MD-10 aircraft. It serves as a teaching facility, advocate, and envoy in the global effort to end preventable blindness. The hospital treats patients and educates healthcare workers in their communities, with a focus on eye care and ophthalmology.
The Flying Eye Hospital offers a range of services, including simulation training, treatment, and community outreach. The aircraft features a state-of-the-art mobile simulation centre, operating room, classroom, and recovery room. Simulation training allows eye care professionals to practice complex surgical procedures in a safe environment before performing them on actual patients. This training has been shown to improve surgical outcomes. The hospital also provides treatment for patients with eye conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma, and retinal issues. Live surgeries are performed on the aircraft and broadcast live in the classroom and through Orbis's telemedicine platform, Cybersight.
The Flying Eye Hospital partners with local hospitals and governments to train eye care professionals, including doctors, nurses, and biomedical technicians. It also works with local officials and ministries of health to advocate for investing in eye health for all. This access has helped Orbis change health policies, improve eye care training, and develop lasting bonds with people worldwide. The hospital averages three trips a year, each lasting two to three weeks, and has been in operation since 1982.
The Flying Eye Hospital is an innovative approach to delivering healthcare and education to communities in need. By combining medicine and aviation, Orbis has created a unique teaching hospital that can reach and treat patients globally. The hospital's focus on eye care and partnerships with local communities helps to ensure that individuals, families, and communities can access the sight-saving programs and thrive. The Flying Eye Hospital is an example of humanitarian flight, bringing vital medical help and relief services to those who need it most.
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Frequently asked questions
The Orbis Flying Eye Hospital is a one-of-a-kind aircraft that combines medicine and aviation. It is a fully accredited ophthalmic teaching hospital on board an MD-10 aircraft, complete with an operating room, classroom, and recovery room.
Orbis was founded in 1982 with a grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and private donors. The Flying Eye Hospital first took flight in 1994, with its inaugural mission to Beijing, China.
The Orbis Flying Eye Hospital averages three trips a year, each lasting two to three weeks. The aircraft is invited to various countries to help train local eye care teams and carry out sight-saving projects.
The aircraft provides a space to train doctors, nurses, and other eye care professionals in the latest sight-saving techniques. It features a state-of-the-art mobile simulation centre, allowing eye care teams to practice complex surgical procedures in a safe environment before performing real-life surgeries. Surgeries performed on board are broadcast live in the plane's classroom and through Orbis's telemedicine platform, Cybersight.
Orbis relies on the support of donors, sponsors, members, and other partners to continue its work. You can partner with Orbis as a corporate organisation, trust, or foundation to make an impact on people's lives. You can also take a virtual reality tour of the Flying Eye Hospital to learn more about its work.
