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“Through the ORBIS Lens” is a collection of photos showcasing the issues surrounding global eye health. Each week ORBIS will share our best photographs highlighting our efforts to eliminate avoidable blindness around the world.
Local eye healthcare doctors and nurses in Iloilo, Philippines receive hands-on training aside ORBIS Volunteer Faculty members during a visit by the Flying Eye Hospital in 2012.
Photo: ORBIS
“Through the ORBIS Lens” is a collection of photos showcasing the issues surrounding global eye health. Each week ORBIS will share our best photographs highlighting our efforts to eliminate avoidable blindness around the world.
Children smiling for the camera in Kitwe, Zambia at an ORBIS Hospital Based Program at the Kitwe Central Eye Hospital in 2011.
Learn more about ORBIS's work in Zambia by going here: http://bit.ly/THwezf.
Photo: Yazeed Kamaldien
Blog by McKenzie Price
McKenzie Price is a the the Flying Eye Hospital Coordinator at ORBIS
As the Flying Eye Hospital Coordinator, I am responsible for coordinating and managing communications between ORBIS’s diverse, 22-member Flying Eye Hospital team and all of ORBIS’s global offices, including our Headquarters in New York.
I provide programmatic and logistical support for our busy ophthalmic medical programs, the planning visits in preparation for these medical programs, and for Goodwill Tours. Goodwill Tours allow the Flying Eye Hospital team the opportunity to travel with the DC-10 aircraft and speak personally about the positive impact we have had in the lives of patients and healthcare professionals we have trained and worked with around the world.
These tours are an important part of what enables the Flying Eye Hospital – 30 years on – to continue implementing strong medical programs and host visitors, including present and potential donors, government officials, school children, and the media onboard the plane.
In September and October, ORBIS held its last two Goodwill Tours of 2012 in Doha, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Al Bateen Executive Airport hosted the Flying Eye Hospital in Abu Dhabi and our presence was in conjunction with the Routes Conference – a world-renowned forum that organizes business and networking events for the aviation industry. Here, ORBIS held the distinction of being named the Routes Charity of Choice!
ORBIS’s high profile at the Routes Conference will help the Flying Eye Hospital gain support for our efforts to continue using the aircraft as a tool to save the sight of people worldwide and train eye care professionals throughout Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
For my part, planning for these two events meant months of phone calls, email exchanges, and other preparatory work with the ORBIS London office and ORBIS’s Aircraft Operations Department, not atypical for me, which requires working with almost every ORBIS office and department. I love my job and the opportunity, on a daily basis, to work with colleagues from all walks of life, all cultures, and all professional backgrounds, who come together to support ORBIS’s mission.
Will the Flying Eye Hospital be able to land, park, and take off from the designated airport – in Doha, in Ndola, in Da Nang, in Ulaanbaatar? What is the security protocol for bringing the team, made up of 13 nationalities, to the plane to work every day, and then hosting medical patients (adults and children), ambulance drivers, the media, local doctors and nurses, foreign Ambassadors, officials, and other visitors? How do we begin the conversation with our local medical partners on what ophthalmic subspecialties they need support and training in and then – in the process – often find that we learn from each other, from the host country’s medical professionals to ORBIS’s own medical staff to the accomplished medical faculty who volunteer their time to ORBIS? How do we maintain relationships over 13-hour time zones and thousands of miles with those in the health, aviation, charity, business, education, and government industries that hold our common goal of promoting and advocating for improved eye care and training?
These are all questions that my colleagues must work together to answer in order to run a successful Medical Program and a Goodwill Tour. As the Flying Eye Hospital begins its last program in 2012, ORBIS will continue to ask hard questions, treat avoidable blindness, and train and work together with those who do the same.
“Through the ORBIS Lens” is a collection of photos showcasing the issues surrounding global eye health. Each week ORBIS will share our best photographs highlighting our efforts to eliminate avoidable blindness around the world.
“Through the ORBIS Lens” is a collection of photos showcasing the issues surrounding global eye health. Each week ORBIS will share our best photographs highlighting our efforts to eliminate avoidable blindness around the world.
Earlier this year the ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital visited China to conduct trainings programs in support of our ongoing work in the country. This weekend our ORBIS Canada office will be holding their 5th Annual Sights on Asia Telethon to raise funds in support of ORBIS’s long-term capacity programs in rural China. Learn more at www.sightsonasia.ca.
Photo: Raul Vasquez
Interview and Photos by Geoff Oliver Bugbee
Geoff Oliver Bugbee is Visual Communications Consultant at ORBIS. He has worked in documentary and international development photography for over 15 years.
In partnership with Menelik II Referral Hospital and Gondar University Hospital, the Flying Eye Hospital returned for its fourth program in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - a 3 week program focusing on hands-on training in pediatric strabismus, cataract, anesthesiology, and ophthalmic nursing. This is a significant
visit for the ORBIS FEH as ORBIS established its first ever country office in Addis
Ababa, Ethiopia in 1999. The Flying Eye Hospital’s visit will reinforce the
continued efforts of ORBIS’s country office projects to improve the quality and
accessibility of eye care to the community through multi-year projects. To help kick off the program, Ethiopia’s long-distance marathon superstar and multiple Olympic gold medal winner, Haile Gebrselassie, came onboard the Flying Eye Hospital to observe surgery and well-wish pediatric strabismus patients.
What are your impressions of ORBIS having just observed their work on the Flying Eye Hospital?
“It’s amazing really, especially in a country like Ethiopia. There are a lot of things happening on this plane. I just saw a mother holding her small daughter just moments after she came out of surgery. How can I explain to you how happy that makes me feel? I am a father of four kids, so imagine what a mother feels when her child is able to be normal again.”
“And the teaching - our Ethiopian doctors - they are learning a lot in treatment and participating in surgeries. What I see here is sort of like that saying, ‘two birds with one stone.’ Doctors are learning, and at the same time, operating on our own people.”
What does eyesight mean to you?
“There is no question...eyes are the most sensitive parts of our body. Quite important..there is nothing more important than the eye. People always want to see things, and believe me, my top priority is through my eyes! I am donating my eyes...but not just yet, of course!"
What do you like most about the Flying Eye Hospital?
“These doctors onboard this plane are volunteers. Imagine what satisfaction they might have at the end of the day. What they do here, it’s just amazing.”
“Through the ORBIS Lens” is a collection of photos showcasing the issues surrounding global eye health. Each week ORBIS will share our best photographs highlighting our efforts to eliminate avoidable blindness around the world.
October 15th marked Global Hand Washing Day, a campaign dedicated to raising awareness of handwashing with soap as a key approach to disease prevention. In Ethiopia, ORBIS works with local partners to implement the World Health Organization’s (WHO) SAFE strategy initiated to eliminate trachoma. Learn more about our work in Ethiopia: http://bit.ly/NXLAwi
Photo: SEAN BREITHAUPT + YVETTE MONAHAN PHOTOGRAPHY
“Through the ORBIS Lens” is a collection of photos showcasing the issues surrounding global eye health. Each week ORBIS will share our best photographs highlighting our efforts to eliminate avoidable blindness around the world.
“I can say now that I am able to share all I have learned with my colleagues because you have trained a trainer”. – Sofia Salzarr Tamayo, Director of Nursing for Instituto Regional de Oftalmologia (IRO) in Trujillo, Peru
Read her story and many more in our latest annual report: www.orbis.org/annualreport
Photo: Geoff Oliver Bugbee
This October 11th marks World Sight Day, the annual day of awareness to focus global attention on blindness, visual impairment and rehabilitation of the visually impaired. This year we asked ORBIS staff members around the world to share their personal connections to vision, ORBIS and asked what sight they love the most. See what ORBIS staff members around the world had to say!
And don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter to share the sight you love the most in an effort to raise awareness on the issues of avoidable blindness this World Sight Day.
Why is sight important to you?
Sight and the eyes are truly the windows to the world. There are so many beautiful and amazing things to enjoy in the world. – ORBIS NY Staff Member
It always has been. I am a qualified Optometrist that has worked in the ngo environment -eye care sector for the last 17 odd years. I believe that while people who are blind or visually impaired can life a full and satisfying life, Sighted persons have more opportunities in life. I firmly believe in the principle that this world should not have people that are needlessly blind or visually impaired. Therefore everything that can be done should be done to prevent unnecessary loss of vision. - Reshmaa Dabideen, Senior Program Advisor, ORBIS Southern Africa
Because it allows me to experience beauty, to appreciate perspective, to focus in on the smallest of things, to live life with all of my senses.- Sarina Prabasi, Deputy Chief of Program
Sight is the window to the world. With good eye sight, we live in full color to enjoy the beauty of the world. - Venus Yeung, Communications Director, ORBIS Hong Kong
What is the sight you love most?
The way a mother looks at her daughter and smiles proudly, and then gives her a big hug. – ORBIS FEH Staff Member
ORBIS has a vast collection of beautiful images and portraits of people they have helped from all around the world. My favorites have to be those of patients seeing for the first time after surgery, the sheer joy and excitement on their faces! – Polly, Photo Library Volunteer, ORBIS EMEA
My favorite sight was the moment when I regained vision after a cataract surgery. That was the most precious and happiest moment of my life and I want to see as many people as I can see the sight of restored vision. - Muhammad Talal Javed, Intern
What is your favorite ORBIS story?
ORBIS nurse was once trained in ORBIS sight saving program in China. She then is very interested to help in ORBIS. Later, she went to Iran to work and study English to prepare her future work in ORBIS. Her dedication succeeded and became an ORBIS staff. – ORBIS Hong Kong Staff Member
In Perú and old lady after taking off her patch after cataract surgery she starts crying and after a big hug she tells me that this is the first time she has seen a plane and it is beautiful to be able to see it so clear!!! – ORBIS FEH Staff Member
My first program on the FEH and my first real experience of seeing the magic moment when a person goes from blind to seeing. It was a little boy called Blesjah (2ish years) who had had his cataracts removed. I'd met him before the operation as an introverted boy clinging to his obviously distressed dad. When his patches were removed he took a few moments to adjust to the light and the new sensations rushing through his little brain and then he just started laughing. His eyes followed the sparkling light toy the doctor tracked through his visual field. He then reach for the light with his right hand, again finding this hilarious. Shortly thereafter he realized he could grab it with his left hand too - he giggled and clapped his hands with delight. It was just so moving for me to see this little chap rush through so many developmental steps right in front of our eyes. The relief and joy of his father was wonderful. - Joni Watson, Business Development Manager, ORBIS Southern Africa
The story of a family of six in Pokhara, Nepal where five of the family members had cataracts including the infant. All five of them were operated upon in the Himalaya Eye Hospital, Pokhara to remove the blinding condition (cataract) and the life of the entire family changed after that intervention. What a life changing impact! – ORBIS India Staff Member
My favorite story is still in progress. It's the story of 26-year old Kevin Cabrera, a student and international call center employee in San Salvador. We met on Screening Day Week 1 of the ORBIS El Salvador FEH Program and became friends. I promised to be there for him before and after his surgery to comfort and encourage him. He received a cornea transplant in his right eye. We've been communicating via email, and his recovery is going well. His bandage is off and he feels more confident with himself now. He reports doing things he hasn't been able to do in a long long time: being able to drive again, help his nephew with his homework at night, and order from a restaurant menu by himself. - Valerie Broeske, Travel and Logistics Coordinator, ORBIS NY
Why did you join ORBIS?
It's because working with ORBIS is more than simply a job! It enlightens not only my life but to 39 million blind people - ORBIS Hong Kong Staff Member
Life holds so many beautiful and precious moments, each subject to the interpretation of the viewer. It's a privilege and blessing to be able to view life from my "personal" vantage point, subject to my very own interpretation, each and every day- and I don’t take this for granted. I joined ORBIS because I wanted an opportunity to help create millions of "unique and individual vantage points" for others, less fortunate. - Liz Agbor-Tabi, Sr. Manager Clinical Services
I came to learn about ORBIS through its Flying Eye Hospital. I had diplopia and I visited an ophthalmologist in Bangladesh and also planned to seek others. Finally one of the best ophthalmologists of Bangladesh diagnosed me with medial rectus palsy due to a virus or some other cause. While seeking his advice I thought I should write to the ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital. However, I was cured completely and incidentally came to meet one of my [future] colleagues at ORBIS through that ophthalmologist. Now I am working with ORBIS. This was amazing. I am proud of taking the leadership of the country program and to do something for the people who need our world class quality care. - Munir Ahmed, Country Director, Bangladesh
I can see because I had access to the best ophthalmic treatment available. By working for ORBIS I can pay this blessing forward and help make quality eye care accessible for children in less fortunate communities across Africa - Nafisa Baboo Programme and Trusts Officer
“Through the ORBIS Lens” is a collection of photos showcasing the issues surrounding global eye health. Each week ORBIS will share our best photographs highlighting our efforts to eliminate avoidable blindness around the world.
In 1998 ORBIS established its first permanent program office in Ethiopia to implement long-term blindness prevention initiatives. This week the Flying Eye Hospital returns to Addis Ababa to conduct a three-week program and support ongoing, in-country projects in pediatric eye care and sub-specialty training.http://bit.ly/UDTHSO
Photo: Kiran Ridley 2003
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