Global eye care nonprofit Orbis International launches a two-week ophthalmic training project today in Arequipa, Peru, on board the Orbis Flying Eye Hospital, the world’s only fully accredited ophthalmic teaching hospital on a plane. At the invitation of the Ministry of Health and in partnership with Hospital Regional Honorio Delgado Espinoza, the project aims to expand access to high-quality eye care and training across southern Peru, including among rural and indigenous communities.
The Flying Eye Hospital is fully integrated into Orbis’s broader efforts to strengthen health systems at a national level in Peru. Each of its visits to the country has contributed to strengthening eye care capacity and blindness prevention as part of comprehensive health care in Peru, advancing the shared goals of Orbis and the Ministry of Health.
During the project, Orbis clinical staff and Volunteer Faculty (medical experts) will provide a combination of simulation-based training, hands-on training in surgery and patient care, and practical workshops on a range of topics at the partner hospital and on the plane, located at Alfredo Rodriguez Ballon Airport. Training will focus on key ophthalmic subspecialties, including cataract, glaucoma, oculoplastics, and medical retina, as well as anesthesiology, nursing, and biomedical engineering.
A distinctive feature of this project is that a majority of the Volunteer Faculty come from Latin America and are native Spanish speakers, including ophthalmologists and nurses from Orbis’s partner hospitals in Trujillo and Lima. This regional expertise reinforces Orbis’s commitment to locally led, culturally relevant training that supports long-term impact.
“This project draws on our phenomenal medical expertise in the region to help expand equitable access to eye care in southern Peru,” said Angel Allauca Garcia, program director, Peru, for Orbis. “These expert volunteers from Peru, neighboring countries, and the United States will equip local teams with advanced skills and resources to help build a system that enables people in southern Peru to get quality care closer to home.”
Since 1982, Orbis has provided training both on and off the Flying Eye Hospital, reaching 97 countries with in-person programs and more than 200 countries and territories virtually through Cybersight, Orbis’s telemedicine and e-learning platform.
Alcon has been a generous supporter of Orbis for more than 45 years, providing financial support to the Flying Eye Hospital through the Alcon Foundation, as well as donations of state-of-the-art ophthalmic equipment, surgical products, and supplies through Alcon Cares.
“Orbis is committed to increasing eye care access by developing talent and building strong care delivery systems in communities that otherwise would not receive the eye care services they need,” said Charles Herget, VP, Alcon Social Impact and Sustainability. “Alcon’s partnership with Orbis is a great example of how non-profit organizations and companies can join forces to make a meaningful and measurable impact.”
FedEx donated the MD-10 aircraft that serves as the Flying Eye Hospital and continues to provide essential logistical, financial, and operational support. Volunteer pilots from FedEx fly the aircraft to its destinations around the globe. FedEx is represented on the Orbis International Board of Directors.
“FedEx is proud to support Orbis and its Flying Eye Hospital in expanding specialized eye care for communities in Peru,” said Daniel Boubet, managing director of operations, Andean & South Cone Region at FedEx. “Through FedEx Cares, our global community engagement program, we are honored to help advance initiatives that bring together global expertise, local collaboration, and hands-on training to help strengthen healthcare systems and create lasting impact.”
Since 2011, OMEGA has proudly supported Flying Eye Hospital projects and works in cooperation with its celebrity brand ambassadors to increase awareness of Orbis and its mission. OMEGA also provides teddy bears to all young patients being treated on the plane.
“This 15th visit to Peru shows exactly how Orbis is making a lasting impact through time,” said Raynald Aeschlimann, president and CEO, OMEGA. “They continue to show dedication, innovation, and high-quality expertise, which certainly resonates with our values at OMEGA. We remain committed to supporting their work as they change lives around the world.”
Additional support for this project is provided by AirAsia, Embraer, GE Aerospace, Hexcel, and Woodward Inc.
Orbis in Peru
Orbis has worked in Peru for decades, focusing on establishing vision centers and expanding access to care in rural areas; improving screening, referrals, and treatment of diabetic retinopathy; and building a referral network, a digital database, and raising awareness of retinopathy of prematurity in hospitals where no resources previously existed. In 2022, Orbis established a five-year national partnership with the Ministry of Health, supporting long-term eye health system strengthening in five regions.
Orbis’s long-term partner in northern Peru, Regional Institute of Ophthalmology, has become an accredited referral center, with support from Orbis, and now provides advanced eye care services for the region. This Flying Eye hospital project in Arequipa builds on that proven model, aiming to develop similar centers of excellence in southern Peru, where major gaps in eye health services persist despite the city’s size. With limited access to specialized care, many patients are forced to travel long distances to Lima or other major cities, often at prohibitive cost, while local public hospitals can only provide basic eye care support. By building a strong foundation for locally-led eye care, this project will begin the process of bringing high-quality, specialized eye care closer to patients who need it most.