This on-site training is at the heart of our mission to ensure everyone, everywhere can access the eye care they need to thrive.
Why Orbis Trains Eye Care Teams in Local Hospitals Around the World
There aren’t enough eye care professionals to meet global demand—over 1 billion people live with preventable vision loss. That’s why Orbis trains local teams, building skills where they’re needed most to ensure lasting access to quality eye care in communities worldwide.
Dr Ghalib Mukadam, Anaesthetist and Orbis medical volunteer, training local eye care teams during a strabismus-focused hospital training in Hawassa, Ethiopia, in 2024 – sharing skills that will benefit children for years to come.
Building Skills Where They’re Needed Most
Building skills in local hospitals ensures that high-quality eye care doesn’t end when a training programme finishes, it continues and grows. By equipping local teams with the knowledge and confidence to diagnose, treat, and educate patients. That’s why we invest in training in local hospitals: it strengthens eye care services where they’re needed most and leaves a long-term impact.
By training medical teams in their own hospitals, using the tools and resources they already have, we help build confidence, deepen expertise, and promote sustainability. Whether it’s improving surgical techniques, upgrading diagnostic skills, or strengthening patient education practices, our hands-on approach empowers eye care professionals to deliver high-quality eye care long after our visit ends.
Irma Casale, nurse and Orbis medical volunteer, providing hands-on training to local eye care teams during a 2024 strabismus-focused hospital training in Hawassa, Ethiopia – helping strengthen paediatric eye care services.
Transforming Lives Through Tailored, Practical Training
Every hospital, country and region have different needs. In some areas, there’s an urgent need for paediatric care, like strabismus surgery for children. In others, the focus might be on managing chronic conditions like glaucoma, where early detection and ongoing management are key to preventing irreversible blindness.
Our approach is tailored and practical. Orbis expert medical volunteers – leading ophthalmologists, anaesthesiologists, nurses, and biomedical engineers, work side by side with local teams, sharing skills in real clinical settings. From screening patients to performing complex surgeries, the training is immersive, collaborative, and life-changing for both participants and the people they serve.
Elisa Urruchi, Flying Eye Hospital staff nurse, trains local nurses at the Regional Institute of Ophthalmology in Trujillo, Peru, during a 2024 hospital-based training focused on glaucoma care.
Strengthening Eye Care Systems, One Hospital at a Time
Hospital training is not just about improving individual skills; it's about strengthening entire eye care systems. When local professionals are trained in advanced techniques, they become mentors, leaders, and resources for others. This ripple effect helps to close gaps in access and equity, especially in rural regions, where specialists may be few and far between.
Orbis partners with hospitals that are committed to long-term improvement and already embedded in their communities. Together, we work to enhance surgical capacity, improve patient outcomes, and build centres of excellence that can influence care across entire regions.
Dr Donal Brosnahan, ophthalmologist and Orbis medical volunteer, delivers surgical training to local eye care teams during a 2024 strabismus-focused hospital training in Hawassa, Ethiopia – building local capacity to treat childhood vision conditions.
A Legacy of Sight-Saving Change
The impact of hospital-based training goes far beyond the operating theatre. It restores sight, independence, and hope. It gives children the chance to learn, play, and dream without limitation. It enables adults to remain active, continue working, and support their families – improving both their independence and quality of life.
As we look to the future, our commitment to strengthening local eye care systems remains unwavering. Hospital training will continue to be a cornerstone of Orbis’s work, because we know it’s one of the most effective ways to build a world where no one lives with avoidable blindness.
Six-year-old Yididiya, diagnosed with non-refractive accommodative esotropia, received sight-saving care during a strabismus-focused hospital training in Hawassa, Ethiopia, in 2024.
