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NTD photo contest: Orbis joint winner

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

Delivering eye care to Rohingya people in Bangladesh

June 19, 2018

Since February 2018, Orbis has been screening and treating Rohingya people in South East Bangladesh as the first eye care organisation to establish services within the camps.

Vulnerable Supporters Policy

Read about how we abide by the Institute of Fundraising Principles in our Vulnerable Supporters Policy.

UK Aid helps expand sight-saving work in Ethiopia

July 12, 2018

Orbis UK is delighted to have been chosen as one of 30 charities to receive a UK Aid Direct grant from the UK government. The grant will enable us to extend our vital sight-saving work in Ethiopia, where almost two million people are visually impaired.

Orbis holds first ever live video consultation with Syrian doctor

July 16, 2018

Volunteer Faculty member Professor Dan Neely held a live video consultation with a doctor in Syria last week, using technology to help Orbis have an impact in otherwise unreachable locations.

Celebrating 20 years of fighting blindness in Ethiopia

July 31, 2018

Orbis UK is proud to announce a huge milestone – Orbis has been fighting blindness in Ethiopia for 20 years. Orbis's Addis Ababa office was officially registered in 1998 and became the very first programme office outside the United States.

UK hosts its first ever Global Disability Summit

July 23, 2018

The Global Disability Summit is taking place in London in July and is bringing together governments, multilaterals, private sector and civil society to drive real change in ensuring the rights, freedoms, dignity and inclusion of all persons with disabilities.

Glasses study shows huge productivity boost for workers

July 23, 2018

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

Prime Minister recognises Orbis volunteer Polly Holt with award

July 26, 2018

Orbis UK’s very own Polly Holt, who has volunteered with us for over eight years, has been recognised by Prime Minister Theresa May for her ongoing dedication and support.

Orbis fundraiser Simon Speirs' family cycle London to Paris in his memory

August 15, 2018

The family of Orbis UK supporter Simon Speirs is taking on a London to Paris cycle challenge in his memory this weekend

Tackling trachoma in Ethiopia: a World Water Week update

August 28, 2018

​This year, Orbis is celebrating 20 years of eye health development in Ethiopia, ensuring that people are able to access the eye care they deserve.

Job applicant privacy notice

Orbis UK is aware of its obligations under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and is committed to processing your data securely and transparently. This privacy notice sets out, in line with GDPR, the types of data that we collect and hold on you as a job applicant.

Orbis and Visulytix collaborate on new AI technology

September 12, 2018

Orbis is collaborating with AI company Visulytix to apply their imaging technology to Orbis's telemedicine platform Cybersight.

Give the gift of sight - Trinh

Orbis UK is on the move!

June 25, 2018

Find out more about our office move and how to get in touch with us at our new location.

World Sight Day - #WhyICare

October 09, 2018

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

Tom Davies's World Sight Month

October 12, 2018

Eyeware designer Tom Davies launches World Sight Month to support Orbis

Orbis in Ethiopia: 20 years of fighting avoidable blindness

October 25, 2018

Last night Orbis UK marked 20 years of fighting blindness in Ethiopia with an event in London to thank the supporters, volunteers and partners who’ve made our work in the country possible.

BDOC

The BDOC is the German association of surgical ophthalmologists, with over 1.300 members.

Diabetes Week: the hidden risk of blindness

June 10, 2019

This Diabetes Week we’re shining a spotlight on the role that the Orbis family plays in eliminating one of the fastest growing causes of avoidable blindness – diabetic retinopathy.

Timeline: 20 years in Ethiopia

We're celebrating 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.

Great Ethiopian Run: Emma's story

December 17, 2018

​For the very first time, Orbis UK sent a team of runners out from the UK to take part in the Great Ethiopian Run. Here, runner Emma tells us all about the experience.

Aerospares 2000 raises £1,307 for Orbis’s Sight Saving Work

June 14, 2018

UK based Aerospares 2000, which sources specialist plane parts for the aviation industry, is donating $1 from every sale to Orbis until 2020. Since the company began its support at the end of 2017, over £1,300 has been raised to assist our work, with donations increasing each quarter.

Supporting Orbis: Amazon triples donations in June

June 15, 2018

Orbis supporters who shop with AmazonSmile can triple their charitable donations from June 15-29

Industrial Optimizers

Industrial Optimizers has committed to supporting Orbis UK, kick-starting the partnership with a donation of £1000.

Passenger Experience Week selects Orbis as Charity Partner

April 09, 2018

As Charity Partner, Passenger Experience Week provides Orbis with an incredible opportunity to raise funds and awareness in the aviation industry.

Hortance Manjo, Orbis Country Representative, Cameroon

Hortance is the dynamic face and heart of Orbis in Cameroon. She thrives on breaking barriers and overcoming challenges that impact the lives of people who would otherwise be unable to access quality care. Her role is diverse and yet she handles the pressure and manages all her interactions with a grace and integrity that embodies the Orbis Values.

Rishi Ray Borah: Director of Program, Orbis India

Rishi was named as one of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness
(IAPB)’s Eye Health Heroes in 2017, but he has long been a hero of the Orbis team.

OCULUS Surgical

OCULUS Surgical has supported Orbis since 2017 with the donation of a OCULUS BIOM® system for the Flying Eye Hospital.

#IWD - Women are more affected by avoidable blindness than men

March 08, 2019

On International Women’s Day, Orbis is joining calls for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls the world over.

Orbis supporter, Stephen Pau, takes on 100 mile challenge

March 08, 2018

Fancy running 100 miles? Our fantastic supporter Stephen Pau does!

Orbis featured on CBS show 'The Doctors'

March 12, 2018

The Orbis Flying Eye Hospital and star Volunteer Faculty member, Rudy Wagner, have been featured on the daily talk show 'The Doctors'. Make sure to give it a watch and share it with your friends.

Spotlight: Visions of Zambia

March 15, 2018

You’ll have heard by now that talented figurative artist Tim Benson has collaborated with Orbis to share the stories of children and adults in Zambia with eye conditions, and the health staff trained by Orbis medical volunteers. The striking portraits he has created are now on show at the Mall Galleries, London, until the 17th March 2018.

Visions of Zambia: Portrait exhibition a success

March 29, 2018

Hundreds attended the inspiring portrait exhibition at the Mall galleries.

Flying Eye Hospital lands in Peru

April 03, 2018

The Flying Eye Hospital has touched down in Trujillo, Peru, for a three-week training program to help strengthen the skills of eye teams right across the region.

Video: Changing the way the world sees

April 05, 2018

This Saturday 7th April is World Health Day! To commemorate we've put together a short video celebrating the contributions of our supporters and partners. Please take a moment to watch and share.

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.

Dr Elizabeth Castro

Technical Support Specialist, Alco Laboratories Inc. California.

Orbis marathon heroes: Long time supporter James

April 17, 2018

James Buchanan is running his first, and only, marathon for Orbis this April. He felt at the age of 59 it was time to make his lifelong ambition a reality.

As a long-time runner and supporter of Orbis (since 2007), he felt which better charity for him to run for.

Vintage footage of Orbis through the years

May 02, 2018

This is an AMAZING video put together by an Orbis supporter featuring vintage footage of our Flying Eye Hospital in the news in the 70s and 80s. 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.

Angeline Chaipa on volunteering for Orbis

May 12, 2019

Did you know that 90% of healthcare is delivered by nurses? They’re an amazing and important workforce. Nurse Angeline Chaipa from Moorfields Eye Hospital, began volunteering with Orbis in 2017. To celebrate International Nurses Day, we are revisiting a blog she wrote whilst on her very first volunteer assignment with Orbis.

Bristol men’s 45-mile challenge in memory of Orbis fundraiser Simon Speirs

May 23, 2018

Two fundraisers have raced an incredible 45 miles in extreme conditions for their former work colleague, Simon Speirs, who sadly died in 2017, while raising money for Orbis in The Clipper Round the World Race.

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

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 Schwarts

Red Lion Surgery Center, Philadelphia

Dr Alessia Adduci

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

Great Ethiopian Run: visiting Gamo Gofa

December 19, 2018

​Travelling to Ethiopia for the Great Ethiopian Run was incredible and a lot of fun. But visiting Gamo Gofa, runner Emma says in her second blog, was the most memorable and moving part of the trip.

Meet the bear with the best job ever!

January 24, 2019

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…

In photos: How Honorine is living life again

January 31, 2018

Six weeks after a successful surgery on our Flying Eye Hospital to treat a painful cataract in her left eye, we paid a visit to grandmother-of-four Honorine, 60, in Yaoundé, Cameroon, to find out how she was getting on.

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.

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.

Join the Orbis family and help save children from blindness

Orbis UK is a charity that brings people together to fight avoidable blindness and save the sight of people like Mariya (pictured above). We believe that no one should live a life of unnecessary blindness, simply because of where they were born. By setting up a regular gift to Orbis, you can help transform the lives of people like Mariya forever.

Give a monthly donation

Giving a monthly gift to Orbis helps us give the gift of sight to those who need it the most. It’s a very efficient way to give a gift and it helps us plan where to spend the money most effectively. This all adds up to make a monthly donation to Orbis the best way you can save people’s sight in the poorest parts of the world.

Our Jamaica Wrap-Up 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?

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.

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.

Flying Eye Hospital

The Orbis Flying Eye Hospital is unlike any plane you’ve seen before. A state-of-the-art teaching facility complete with operating room, classroom and recovery room - this amazing aircraft has been a beacon of hope since 1982.

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.

In pictures: 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.

Save the sight of children like Kisan and Shashant

Brothers Kisan and Shashant were both struggling with severe short-sightedness – and it was affecting their lives both in and out the classroom. Neither could read the whiteboard at school, they had problems reading and they were struggling to play their favourite sport with their friends – cricket.

A Q&A with Mr Adhikari: an optometrist changing lives in nepal

Mr Adhikari is the optometrist who screened Rabi’s vision and made sure he received the pair of glasses that transformed his world. Brenda Naluyima, Orbis UK's Senior Communications Officer, recently sat down with Mr Adhikari to ask him some questions and get an insight into his life-changing work.

Give a donation

When you donate to Orbis you can have an enormous impact on people's lives in some of the poorest parts of the world. We'll use your gift where it's needed the most. It could help pay for a sight-restoring cataract operation, protect communities from blinding trachoma or even give a child a pair of glasses that will help them continue in school.

1 in 10 people can’t remember the last time they went to the optician

June 13, 2019

With global blindness set to triple by 2050, how can we take better care of our own eye health here in the UK?

Orbis in the news

June 17, 2019

There is now less than a week to go until the end of our See My Future appeal – and the campaign is still making headlines.

Orbis: An eye sight charity changing lives all over the world

Orbis is a charity that has been changing people’s lives all over the world for over 20 years. We bring people together to protect and restore people’s eye sight and give them a brighter future. Your support can help us continue this sight-saving work.

Flying Eye Hospital cleared for landing at the Farnborough International Airshow 2020

June 20, 2019

Our incredible Flying Eye Hospital will be making a rare appearance at next year's Farnborough International Airshow, from 20 - 24 July 2020

Older millennials more likely to experience light sensitivity than any other group

June 23, 2019

With computers and smart phones now a staple of modern life, how can we make sure we protect our eyes from the glare of the screen?

See My Future: Kisan and Shashant's transformations

Five Reasons Blindness is a Gender Issue

June 20, 2019

Gender is something that’s discussed a lot these days, but no one is talking about the gender gap in blindness – 90 million women don’t have access to life-changing eye care. So why does this injustice exist? Here are five reasons...

Farnborough International Airshow

Farnborough International has confirmed Orbis UK as the official charity partner for their July 2020 Airshow. As part of this incredible partnership, Orbis will be bringing our unique Flying Eye Hospital to the event to provide visitors with an opportunity to explore the aircraft first hand.

HRH The Countess of Wessex joins Orbis to celebrate the achievements of Qatar Creating Vision

July 04, 2019

Orbis have announced that their eye health initiative, Qatar Creating Vision - funded by Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD), has delivered an incredible 5.5 million eye tests to children across India and Bangladesh in the last three years.

A charity saving people from blindness

Orbis has been protecting people from blindness and restoring the sight of people who are blind for over 20 years. We bring people together in the fight against avoidable blindness, and work with partners to develop long-term strategies to restore sight. Your support can help us continue this vital work.

Save a child like Rabi’s sight

Little Rabi’s world was a blur. He has high myopia, or extreme short-sightedness, and it was affecting his life both at school and at home.

Database Manager

Public giving and engagement

July 15, 2019

The Database Manager is a key member of the public giving and engagement team within fundraising. This new role is responsible for managing our Raiser’s Edge database to support the marketing, supporter care and income processing activities of the Fundraising and wider Orbis UK teams.

The Great Ethiopian Run 2019: what to expect

July 19, 2019

Join us at the Great Ethiopian Run in November and take part in an event that's as close to a party as any run will ever be – and that's not all you'll get for your fundraising efforts...

The teachers helping students to see their future

May 07, 2019

Those who can, teach – and teachers can make a huge difference. For many of the children we've worked with, it was at school that issues with their sight were first revealed. 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.

What's in your eye?

January 24, 2019

The human eye is an amazing organ. Here we take a look at what’s actually happening inside your eye.