At Orbis, we believe that no one should live a life of unnecessary blindness, simply because of where they live.
Unfortunately, the reality is that 43 million people are blind worldwide and a further 295 million people are living with moderate-to-severe visual impairment. Most of these cases are preventable or treatable. Despite progress made in the provision of eye care over the past 30 years, significant challenges remain in preventing avoidable vision loss. Challenges include inequity in access to and quality of prevention and treatment services, gaps in human resource capacity and lack of integration with other health services, among others.
At Orbis, we know the only way to make a real difference is to strengthen overall health systems so people can access the quality eye care they deserve when they need it. Our fight against avoidable blindness began in 1973 and was made stronger with the launch of our first Flying Eye Hospital in 1982. Our amazing team of volunteer faculty has flown worldwide, providing training and education to local eye health partners but we have also adapted and expanded our approach to better meet today’s needs. The COVID-19 pandemic was a huge barrier in public health service delivery worldwide, but our early investments in virtual learning technology have allowed us to quickly adapt and continue serving communities in need.
While our organisational mission and vision remain the same, our pathways to achieving these aspirations continue to evolve to match the changing environment.
