ORBIS - Saving the Sight

Perhaps you've heard from ORBIS before, but probably you didn't. ORBIS operates a Douglas DC-10, but it's actually not an airline. The DC-10 is a fully equipped flying eye hospital. And ORBIS is a global humanitarian organisation with the mission to save sight worldwide. A report by Michael Meier.

It's the vision of ORBIS to eliminate avoidable blindness. A world of quality eye care and treatment for every human being, especially for the more than 180 million who are blind, severely visually impaired or at risk of becoming blind. Right now, 80 percent of those who are blind do not need to be. ORBIS does help these people - in an uncommon - but very successful way.

ORBIS was founded by Dr. David Paton, an ophthalmologist from Houston. He wanted to bring the modern skills of ophthalmology to health personnel in developing countries. Due to the high costs for tuition and travel, it's almost impossible for many doctors there to participate at overseas training programs. As they don't have a chance to come, Paton wanted to go to them and teach them there. The idea of an airborne teaching eye hospital was born - ORBIS was born.

The flying eye hospital

The idea became reality in 1982. With a grant from USAID, a DC-8 donated by United Airlines, and extensive modifications, ORBIS's aircraft took off to its first mission in 1982. During the first two years, the ORBIS DC-8 flew to 24 countries where trainings for local doctors were held.

During such missions, volunteer doctors of ORBIS work with the local host committee to select a range of patients whose treatable eye conditions provide excellent cases for demonstrating modern techniques and procedures. Lectures and surgery are conducted during the middle of the week along with post-operative care.

ORBIS works with host-country medical leaders to identify potential participants who have the capacity to serve as trainers for their colleagues once the program is finished. Participants selected receive one-on-one, hands-on-training from visiting faculty while others observe the procedures from the classroom.

In 1984, ORBIS also started missions without the aircraft, to teach even more people the skills of modern ophthalmology. The first major program without the plane was a three-week comprehensive course for ophthalmologists and nurses held in Singapore. Since then, specialized programs without the plane have been held each year.

But the aircraft has always been the backbone of the idea behind ORBIS. And that didn't change during the years. As ORBIS continued to evolve and expand its scope, it became clear that a newer, larger aircraft was needed to replace the DC-8 which was more than 30 years old. In 1992, with donations from three generous individuals, ORBIS was able to purchase a wide-body DC-10 from United Airlines to replace the DC-8. With a lot of donations and gifts, ORBIS converted the plane into a fully equipped eye surgery hospital which has more than twice the interior space of the original DC-8. In 1994, ORBIS retired the aging DC-8 and the newly renovated DC-10 took off for its inaugural mission in Beijing, China.

ORBIS would not be possible without the help of a lot of volunteers and donating companies. Funds for the US$25 million annual budget come from a variety sources including gifts, grants and gifts-in-kind from major corporations, foundations, government agencies and individuals around the world.

Delivering Sight Worldwide

United Airlines has always been a partner of the flying eye hospital. Both aircrafts came from United, aircraft maintenance was often done by the airline too. However, with the retirement of the DC-10s in United's fleet some years ago, it became almost impossible to get the maintenance done there.

FedEx took a lot of the DC-10s from United and converted them to freighters. Thankfully they even became ORBIS's new maintenance partner when they sponsored the necessary B-Check in 2001. FedEx and ORBIS are now teaming up under the banner of the "Delivering Sight Worldwide".

Text: Michael Meier
Photos: ORBIS International

More Information?

If you would like to help ORBIS to save sight around the world,
please visit their homepage for any further information.

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