A patient is screened for diabetic retinopathy at an eye care center in Rwanda

Improving eye care in Rwanda

Orbis’s work in Rwanda began in 2016 when we first partnered with the Rwanda International Institute of Ophthalmology (RIIO) to help strengthen the skills of local eye teams. Almost a decade later, our first-ever Flying Eye Hospital project on Rwandan soil will kicked off in late July 2025.

Orbis Flying Eye Hospital in Rwanda for the First Time

Known as the ‘Land of a Thousand Hills’ and home to 13 million people, Rwanda is a recognised centre for innovation in Africa. Yet millions of people still lack access to the eye care they need to thrive.

This highlights the opportunity to strengthen the eye care workforce through continued training and capacity building. There are only around 30 trained ophthalmologists serving the entire population of Rwanda. That is about two ophthalmologists per one million people. By comparison, in the UK there are roughly 49 ophthalmologists per one million people.

While Rwanda has made important strides in eye care, there remains an opportunity to expand the number of trained ophthalmologists and other specialised professionals. This is especially true in rural communities, with most eye care services limited to large urban areas.

In Rwanda, as in most low-resource countries, the main cause of blindness is cataracts, followed by glaucoma, while cataracts and refractive error (the need for glasses) are the main causes of visual impairment. Of people with refractive error, only half have glasses.

Only 30 ophthalmologists

serve 13 million people

Cataracts is the main cause of blindness

30% of people referred for surgery can’t access treatment

Of 42 district hospitals

only seven have an ophthalmologist on staff

This shows that millions of people in Rwanda would be able to see the world clearly with a simple intervention like a pair of glasses or cataract surgery. Increasing public awareness of available eye care services remains an important opportunity, as current data suggests that only 57% of the population is aware that such services are offered at local health centers.

Success in Rwanda

Dr. Ciku Mathenge screens a patient at Kibagabaga Eye Clinic

By working alongside local health partners, Orbis is:

Forging strong training partnerships: To address the shortfall in skilled eye health personnel and create sustainable eye health services, we’ve worked with RIIO to host workshops and on-site training in hospitals focused on medical retina and on human resources in eye health.

Expanding diabetic eye care: Since 2021, we have partnered with RIIO and the Rwanda Diabetes Association to address diabetic retinopathy, a common complication of diabetes that can lead to blindness. We have equipped four diabetes clinics in and around Kigali, the capital, with the ability to perform artificial intelligence (AI)-powered screenings using cameras connected to Orbis’s Cybersight AI tool. Cybersight AI analyzes images of the back of the eye to detect signs of diabetic retinopathy in patients within minutes, as opposed to days.

Publishing peer-reviewed research: As a result of our diabetes project, we published two important research studies. The studies show that when patients get real-time diagnoses of diabetic retinopathy through AI screening, they are more likely to seek treatment and lead to high levels of patient satisfaction.

Supporting the next generation of ophthalmologists in East Africa: Rwanda has one of the top ophthalmic residency programs on the continent, RIIO, which is run by one of the most influential ophthalmic leaders in the region, Medical Advisor for Orbis International, Dr. Ciku Mathenge. In summer 2025, with an invitation from the Ministry of Health, we partnered with RIIO to deliver a Flying Eye Hospital training project that not only helped to strengthen Rwanda’s eye health system but also contributed to broader regional impact. Through RIIO’s leadership and reach, the skills and knowledge shared during the project benefited eye care professionals and advance access to quality eye care across the continent.

Orbis Research Studies

Two peer-reviewed studies show benefits of AI for rural eye care.

A young woman in Rwanda is screened for diabetic retinopathy in an Orbis supported clinic

Partners

A massive thank you to our partners in Rwanda including:

Rwanda International Insitute of Ophthalmology (RIIO)
Kibagabaga Hospital Rwanda
Diabetes Association
Ministry of Health

Improving eye care in Rwanda