Orbis International volunteer faculty member, Dr. Joon Kim, trains local surgeons at the National Children’s Hospital to build skills that help expand access to quality eyecare in Vietnam.
DA NANG, Vietnam—Global eyecare nonprofit Orbis International is celebrating 30 years of partnership with Vietnam’s eye health community, a collaboration that has helped strengthen local eyecare capacity, expand access to services, and establish the country as a growing leader in eye health across the Asia-Pacific region, according to an announcement from the organization. Orbis International said the arrival of the Orbis Flying Eye Hospital in Da Nang, Vietnam represents the next chapter in that partnership.
At the invitation of Da Nang Eye Hospital, with approval from the People’s Committee of Da Nang City and support from the Da Nang Department of Health and other local authorities, the project will serve as a platform for hands-on training, innovation and knowledge exchange, the announcement noted.
Through clinical training and mentorship across key specialties, the project will help approximately 230 eyecare professionals build skills that will benefit communities for years to come, while supporting access to specialized services for nearly nine million people in Central Vietnam and the Central Highlands, Orbis International said.
Cybersight, Orbis’s telemedicine and e-learning platform, is an integral part of every Flying Eye Hospital project—connecting in-person training with continuous learning before and after the aircraft is on-site. Through Cybersight, participants can prepare in advance, consult with global experts, access ongoing education, and continue building skills long after the project concludes, extending the impact of the Flying Eye Hospital beyond the aircraft itself, the announcement said.
“This project is not a standalone intervention; it is the latest chapter in a long-term partnership to advance Vietnam’s eye health system,” said Ngoc Pham, Orbis’ Vietnam country director. “The most important outcome is not what Orbis has done in Vietnam, but what Vietnamese institutions and eyecare professionals now lead themselves. Our role at Orbis is increasingly to support, convene, innovate, and accelerate that local leadership so progress continues long after the Flying Eye Hospital departs.”
“Around the world, Orbis is focused on creating lasting change by investing in people, institutions, technology and local leadership,” said Kathleen Sherwin, president and CEO of Orbis International. “The Flying Eye Hospital is one part of that larger model—bringing intensive, hands-on training together with tools like Cybersight, artificial intelligence (AI), and research so local teams can continue improving care long after a project ends. Vietnam shows what is possible when long-term partnership helps proven solutions take root and scale.”
Building on decades of progress, Vietnam is emerging as a regional leader in eye health, with strengths in pediatric care, diabetic retinopathy, retinopathy of prematurity, workforce development, and technology-enabled care, Orbis International said. Its growing experience in AI-supported screening, implementation, research, and evidence generation can help inform eye health progress across the Asia-Pacific region.
FedEx, a longtime supporter of Orbis and title sponsor for this Flying Eye Hospital project in Vietnam, donated the MD-10 aircraft that serves as the Flying Eye Hospital and continues to provide logistical, financial and operational support. Volunteer pilots from FedEx fly the aircraft to destinations around the globe, and FedEx is represented on the Orbis International board of directors.
“At FedEx, we believe that connecting people goes beyond delivering packages—it is about creating opportunities and helping communities thrive,” said Ee-Hui Tan, managing director of FedEx Vietnam and Cambodia. “We are proud to support the return of the Orbis Flying Eye Hospital to Vietnam. Together with Orbis, we are investing in the knowledge and skills of healthcare professionals, helping to strengthen Vietnam’s eyecare system so more patients can access quality care closer to home.”
Underscoring Orbis’s commitment to high-quality training and patient care, QUAD A, a nonprofit accreditation organization, works with Orbis to ensure the Flying Eye Hospital meets rigorous standards that prioritize patient safety, Orbis said.
Over the past 30 years, Orbis has supported the training of more than 40,000 eyecare professionals and helped expand access to care for millions of people across Vietnam. Today, Vietnamese institutions and professionals are leading innovation and delivering high-quality care independently, demonstrating the impact of sustained investment in local capacity, technology and systems change.
Looking ahead, Orbis said it will continue working with partners across Vietnam to scale proven solutions through workforce development, technology, Cybersight, AI-supported screening, research, and stronger health systems—so more people can receive quality eyecare closer to home.
Since beginning work in Vietnam in 1996, Orbis has worked alongside government partners, hospitals, and training institutions to expand access to quality eyecare and build sustainable local capacity including the following:
● More than 40,000 eyecare professionals have been trained.
● More than 5.2 million people reached with eyecare services.
● More than 139,000 sight-saving surgeries supported.
● 17 retinopathy of prematurity centers supported.
● 12 vision centers strengthened to bring care closer to communities.
● National clinical guidelines supported across priority eye health areas.
● Cybersight and AI-supported screenings have been deployed to expand training, consultation and early detection.
Through Orbis International’s initiatives, the organization’s work has supported national clinical guidelines, stronger referral pathways, improved treatment outcomes, and new models of care in areas including retinopathy of prematurity, pediatric eyecare, school eye health, cataract, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma.
