Orbis UK

Orbis UK We’re working to make eye care available everywhere, for everyone, so no one has to experience the co
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Cataracts do not only affect older people, they also cause blindness in children. At just four years old, Nandin-Egshigl...
09/06/2026

Cataracts do not only affect older people, they also cause blindness in children.

At just four years old, Nandin-Egshiglen’s world began to blur.

She stopped playing with friends, lost interest in drawing and didn’t want to go to nursery.

When her parents realised something wasn't right, they sought help. Nandin-Egshiglen was soon diagnosed with cataracts in both eyes.

Without treatment, children with cataracts can suffer permanent sight loss.

Through , Nandin-Egshiglen was able to receive sight-saving surgery aboard the , where volunteer experts also train local eye care teams to treat more patients in the future.

Now, her world is coming back into focus.

Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness worldwide.

But with timely treatment, sight can often be restored.

Read Nandin-Egshiglen’s story: https://bit.ly/4ex1Uog

05/06/2026

Did you know glasses were first invented in Italy in the 13th century?

Today, they are everywhere. But for hundreds of millions living with vision loss, glasses are still out of reach.

Across the decades, eyewear has changed a lot. From handmade lenses to modern lightweight frames. But the purpose has stayed the same.

To help people see clearly.

At Orbis, we work to end avoidable blindness by making eye care more accessible, training local eye health teams and reaching communities where services are limited.

Because a simple pair of glasses can mean a child stays in school or an adult keeps their job.

Clear vision should never depend on where you are born.

Read more: https://bit.ly/4v2ltdZ

In the UK, cataracts are usually treatable. With an average of over 1,000 procedures a day, cataract surgery is the sin...
01/06/2026

In the UK, cataracts are usually treatable.

With an average of over 1,000 procedures a day, cataract surgery is the single most common surgical procedure performed in the NHS.

But for millions of people around the world, cataracts can lead to permanent blindness.

In fact, cataracts are the leading cause of blindness worldwide.

After an eye injury caused by storm debris, Sadia gradually lost vision in her left eye while living in the refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh.

She developed a traumatic cataract.

Without treatment, Sadia had to stop attending school for a year.

Her family could not afford surgery.

But through an Orbis-supported project, Sadia was referred for free cataract surgery through partner hospitals in Bangladesh.

Now, she is back in class and spending time with friends again.

Cataracts should not steal a child’s education, independence or future.

Yet for many families living in crisis settings, treatment is out of reach.

At Orbis, we work with local partners to strengthen eye care and help communities access sight-saving treatment where services are hardest to reach.

Read Sadia’s story: https://bit.ly/4eeoy4y

“Everything I see now becomes as clear as crystal.” – Thanh, 13, Vietnam For years, Thanh was wearing the wrong glasses....
25/05/2026

“Everything I see now becomes as clear as crystal.” – Thanh, 13, Vietnam

For years, Thanh was wearing the wrong glasses.

She struggled to see the board at school and her grades began to fall.

But a simple school eye test changed everything.

Thanh was found to have severe myopia in one eye. Without treatment, her vision could have worsened with risks to her education and future.

Through an Orbis project in Vietnam, Thanh received an eye screening, a full examination and free glasses with the right prescription.

Now, she can see clearly again.

“With them, everything I see becomes as clear as crystal. I feel like the world is more colourful and beautiful.”

Yet too many children like Thanh are living with vision problems that go undetected.

Something as simple as an eye test can help protect a child’s sight, learning and future.

At Orbis, we work with local teams to strengthen eye care and reach children in communities where services are limited.

Read Thanh’s story - https://bit.ly/4a7V6L7

“Because of eye issues, I was unable to collect tea leaves. I was about to be jobless.” – Minoti, a tea worker from Bang...
21/05/2026

“Because of eye issues, I was unable to collect tea leaves. I was about to be jobless.” – Minoti, a tea worker from Bangladesh.

What difference can a simple eye test make?

For Minoti, it was the difference between a livelihood and no income for her family. Blurred vision and severe headaches made it harder for her to collect tea leaves and support her family. Without access to treatment, her income fell and daily life became much harder.

Then eye care workers visited her community through an Orbis-supported project in Bangladesh.

Minoti received a vision screening at home, was diagnosed with refractive error and given free glasses and eye drops.

Soon after, she was back at work.

“After getting the eye glasses, now I can go to work. Now I feel well, and I have no headache.”

No one should risk losing their livelihood because they cannot access something as simple as an eye test or glasses.

At Orbis, we work with local partners to strengthen eye care and reach communities where services are limited.

Read Minoti’s full story here: https://bit.ly/4eU2FZg

In Eurovision although a ‘nul points’ hurts, it isn’t the end of the world. But at Orbis, we have a different vision lea...
16/05/2026

In Eurovision although a ‘nul points’ hurts, it isn’t the end of the world.

But at Orbis, we have a different vision league table in mind.

Around the world access to eye doctors varies massively. From 49 eye doctors for every 1 million people in the UK, to just one eye doctor for every million people in Ethiopia.

The shortage has real consequences, and is a big part of why 90% of people with treatable or preventable vision loss live in lower- and middle-income countries.

That means a child with worsening eyesight may never have a routine eye check. An adult with a treatable eye condition may wait too long to see a specialist, turning avoidable sight loss into permanent blindness.

How do we tackle this avoidable vision loss crisis?

At Orbis we are:
✔ Training eye care specialists locally
✔ Strengthening hospitals to deliver quality eye care
✔ Building lasting eye health systems with local partners

No one should lose their sight simply because there isn’t an eye doctor nearby.

Learn more about the global shortage of eye doctors and how Orbis is helping change this: https://bit.ly/3Rs22MJ

A disease that causes blindness has now been eliminated in 31 countries. This week, the International Coalition for Trac...
15/05/2026

A disease that causes blindness has now been eliminated in 31 countries.

This week, the International Coalition for Trachoma Control (ICTC) announced that Tunisia has eliminated trachoma as a public health problem, joining Australia and Algeria in reaching this milestone.

That means 31 countries have now eliminated trachoma.

But the country most affected remains Ethiopia, where 68% people still at risk from this blinding disease live.

This is where Orbis is focused.

Through our trachoma programmes, we support screening, treatment, surgery and training to help communities access sight-saving care and move closer to elimination.

Help us reach the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) target to eliminate trachoma from Ethiopia by 2030.

✈️ The Orbis Flying Eye Hospital is a little more than your standard airplane. It’s an eye hospital in the sky. From ope...
12/05/2026

✈️ The Orbis Flying Eye Hospital is a little more than your standard airplane. It’s an eye hospital in the sky.

From operating theatres to classrooms, The Flying Eye Hospital travels the world, providing sight-saving surgery and expert training for local eye care teams.

This approach means patients are treated today, while doctors gain the skills to treat thousands more in the future. It’s a practical, proven way to tackle preventable blindness at scale.

Read more – https://bit.ly/3R6Djxj

👩‍⚕️ Skills shared today can save sight for years. Dr Lucy Barker, a senior children’s eye specialist from the UK, is on...
11/05/2026

👩‍⚕️ Skills shared today can save sight for years.

Dr Lucy Barker, a senior children’s eye specialist from the UK, is one of Orbis’ expert volunteers, who recently trained local surgeons in Rwanda. These doctors use the skills they learned to help hundreds of people see clearly and live fuller lives.

Orbis Expert Volunteers travel the world to teach, mentor, and build capacity in low-resource communities, tackling preventable blindness head-on. By strengthening local healthcare systems, their work creates sustainable solutions for generations to come.

Learn more - https://bit.ly/3P9kqJo

11/05/2026

At our fourth annual Orbis Visionaries reception, Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Edinburgh experienced Orbis’s virtual reality surgical training technology, developed with Fundamental XR. The Duchess attended in her role as Global Ambassador for the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness.

This immersive technology allows eye care professionals to practise complex sight-saving procedures in a simulated environment before operating on real patients, helping them build skills, confidence and experience faster.

Why does this matter? A shortage of specialist eye surgeons remains one of the biggest barriers to tackling cataract, the world’s leading cause of blindness, despite it being highly treatable.

Already in use in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, India, where Her Royal Highness has previously visited Orbis’s sight-saving projects, this technology is helping expand access to high-quality eye care where it is needed most.

Through training, innovation and partnerships, Orbis is working towards a world where no one loses sight from avoidable causes.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/48S6bzB

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