Celebrating World Sight Day with Orbis: Shining a Light on Global Eye Health – MyGlassesAndMe

Yesterday, I had the privilege of being invited by Orbis to celebrate World Sight Day,  a global event dedicated to raising awareness about avoidable blindness and vision loss. As well as understanding what they do, we also had the pleasure of getting our iris photo taken which I am looking forward to seeing soon. This experience gave me a closer look at the inspiring work Orbis does as a charity, and I wanted to share some of their impact, stats, and initiatives with the MGAM community.

Who Are Orbis?

Orbis is an international non-profit organisation on a mission to end avoidable blindness and ensure everyone, everywhere has access to quality eye care. It is definitely something we take for granted living in a developed countries. Since their work begin, Orbis has delivered sight-saving programmes in over 200 countries and regions, transforming lives and communities through treatment, training, and innovative technology.

What Does Orbis Do?

Flying Eye Hospital: Orbis operates the world’s only fully accredited ophthalmic teaching hospital on board an aircraft, bringing expert training and treatment directly to communities in need.

Training and Mentorship: Through their Volunteer Faculty – a network of over 400 world-renowned medical professionals – Orbis trains local eye care teams, empowering them with skills to deliver quality care long after Orbis has left.

Cybersight: Their award-winning telemedicine platform connects eye care professionals worldwide, providing free virtual access to world-class resources, mentorship, and even AI diagnostic support.

Community Outreach: Orbis runs long-term country programmes, vision centres, and outreach initiatives, ensuring even the most remote communities can access sight-saving care.

Focus on Women & Girls: Orbis is committed to tackling gender inequality in eye health, supporting women-led vision centres and ensuring women and girls receive the care they need. Yesterday, I was shocked to hear that 55% of visual impairment are female in less developed countries.

Celebrating World Sight Day with Orbis: Shining a Light on Global Eye Health

Orbis by the Numbers (2024)

• 54 eye health projects delivered across 10 countries
• More than 38,000 eye health trainings completed by doctors, nurses, and community health workers in 2024 alone
• Over 2.2 million eye screenings and exams conducted in 2024
• 11.6 million+ patients have visited Orbis-supported health facilities in the last decade
• 87 million+ doses of trachoma-fighting antibiotics distributed to date
• 100 million+ total lifetime doses of sight-saving medication delivered

Why Their Work Matters

Globally, at least 1 billion people have a vision impairment that could have been prevented or is yet to be addressed. Orbis’s approach of combining hands-on training, innovative technology, and community partnerships is helping to build sustainable eye care systems worldwide.

How You Can Support

Orbis’s work is only possible thanks to supporters, donors, and partners. You can get involved by donating, fundraising, volunteering, or simply spreading the word about the importance of eye health and access to care.

To learn more or to support their sight-saving mission, visit Orbis International.

Let’s keep the conversation going and help make avoidable blindness a thing of the past. Happy World Sight Day!