Orbis Commits $32 Million: Aiming to Improve Eye Health for More Than 18 Million People
Global eye-care nonprofit Orbis International announced on October 30 that it will commit an estimated US$32 million in financial and technical contributions from 2027 through 2030 to strengthen eye health systems and expand access to quality eye care, aiming to contribute to better eye health outcomes for more than 18 million people and support the professional development of more than 250,000 eye health professionals.
The commitment was made in connection with the first Global Summit for Eye Health, hosted by the Government of Antigua and Barbuda in technical collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO). The summit brought together leaders from government, the public and private sectors, NGOs and funding institutions to make commitments toward reaching the 1 billion people living with avoidable vision loss. Orbis has endorsed the St. John's Global Compact for Eye Health.
Kathleen Sherwin, President and CEO of Orbis International, said the summit is an opportunity to turn shared ambition into practical action, and that Orbis will work alongside governments and partners to focus on quality care and reaching people who too often go without it, particularly women, girls and underserved communities.
Workforce development sits at the center of the commitment. By 2030, Orbis plans to support the ongoing professional development of more than 250,000 eye health professionals, including through Cybersight, its digital platform for eye health learning, mentorship and clinical support. Orbis will continue providing free access to Cybersight through 2030, representing an estimated US$15 million contribution over four years. Hunter Cherwek, Chief Medical Officer at Orbis, said there is a global crisis in eye health: the lack of a trained workforce to treat and prevent conditions that cause blindness, while demand keeps growing.
On cataract care, Orbis will invest the equivalent of US$17 million between 2027 and 2030 to strengthen the eye health workforce, improve surgical quality, build institutional capacity and expand access to high-quality cataract services. Cataract is the leading cause of blindness globally, and timely, high-quality surgery can restore sight.
Beginning in 2027, Orbis will also partner with the Government of Antigua and Barbuda to integrate AI-assisted diabetic retinopathy screening into routine diabetes care, working toward at least 80% screening coverage among people receiving diabetes care by 2030, with referral, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up pathways for patients who need further care.
Orbis said it will provide direct support to strengthen government-led systems and institutions in 16 countries, while offering global access to learning, mentorship and clinical support through Cybersight across more than 200 countries and territories. Around 1.1 billion people live with vision loss, and with the right care, 90% of it is completely avoidable, according to Orbis.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：Orbis 的飞行眼科医院（Flying Eye Hospital）停在机场停机坪，机身与尾翼标识清晰。LN9267 摄，CC BY-SA 4.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Orbis's Flying Eye Hospital on an airport apron, with its livery clearly visible. Photo by LN9267, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
