Flying Eye Hospital lands in Rwanda

The Orbis Flying Eye Hospital landed in Kigali, Rwanda, on July 18 2025, marking the beginning of a historic two-week training project. This is the first time this one-of-a-kind aircraft has visited Rwanda, where our teams of clinical staff and Volunteer Faculty will work alongside the Rwanda International Institute of Ophthalmology (RIIO) at our partner hospital, Kibagabaga Hospital.

Strabismus, causes the eyes to point in different directions. It can affect confidence and, without treatment, vision.

Francoise could see well, but living with strabismus was still difficult. Growing up, she often felt self-conscious. She remembers being called “the one with the eye problem”—and sometimes people even mimicked her. It was a constant reminder that she was being treated differently.

Francoise never received the care she needed as a child, but she was determined not to let history repeat itself. When she heard the Orbis Flying Eye Hospital was coming to Kigali, she saw her chance to get help—for her granddaughter Moon, and for herself.

“I always wished I could get my eye corrected,” she said. “So, I thought, why not now?” Both Francoise and Moon received surgery on board of the Flying Eye Hospital. Francoise insisted Moon went first. “As a grown-up I can handle it,” she said. “But she’s still little. It can all feel strange and scary.”

The results were life-changing. “She’ll grow up happy, fine and confident,” Francoise said. “She won’t feel different. She won’t ever wonder what’s wrong with her.”

Francoise once dreamed of becoming a nurse. Life took her another way, but her caring nature has never faded. “Being treated by people who are experts and so happy to help me… it’s made a mark on me,” she said.

Image gallery: Meet Moon and Francoise

Over the weekend, the Flying Eye Hospital team transformed the plane into a fully functioning ophthalmic teaching facility, equipped to train local doctors, nurses, anesthesiologists, and biomedical engineers in the latest techniques in eye care.
 

Image Gallery: Volunteer pilots landed the Flying Eye Hospital safely, and the team quickly transformed it into “hospital mode".

Week one, sponsored by the Alcon Foundation, kicked off on Monday Jul 21, with a focus on simulation-based learning, giving doctors an opportunity to safely practice complex surgical skills. Local teams are using virtual reality (VR) tools developed by Orbis in partnership with FundramentalVR, to deepen their skills in two types of cataract surgery: manual small-incision cataract surgery (MSICS) and phacoemulsification. When the project finishes, the VR tools will be donated to RIIO so future generations of ophthalmologists can continue to hone their technique in a safe environment.

Image gallery: Simulation training on board the Flying Eye Hospital in Rwanda.

Week two, saw patients welcomed on board the Flying Eye Hospital for screening and surgery. With simulation training complete, our Volunteer Faculty moved to hands-on training with local teams, focusing on pediatric strabismus and oculoplastics. These sight-restoring surgeries not only changed lives immediately but also built lasting skills and confidence for Rwanda’s eye health professionals.

We celebrated their achievements with a certificate ceremony, marking a fortnight of learning, collaboration, and growth. Here’s to the next generation of eye health heroes in Rwanda.

Image gallery: Week two saw hands-on surgical training on adults and children

Thank you to everyone who helped make this project happen. We couldn't have done it without the support of our Title Sponsors, Alcon Foundation and OMEGA, and our incredible team of Volunteer Faculty who donate their time and expertise to train the doctors around the world.

We're so proud of the hard work of all of the Rwandan participants and are excited to see them continue training with new virtual reality tools, donated by Orbis.