Bangladesh project leaves a lasting eye care legacy

Thanks to Title Sponsors FedEx and The Alcon Foundation, and Orbis supporters, local eye care professionals received world-class training using state-of-the-art simulation equipment, and more than 40 children and adults received sight-saving surgery.

This two-week training program, in collaboration with local partner hospital Chittagong Eye Infirmary and Training Complex (CEITC), was the Flying Eye Hospital’s 11th sight-saving visit to the country. After landing at Shah Amanat International Airport, we kicked the project off with opening ceremonies attended by special guests including the Mayor of Chattogram City, Dr. Shahadat Hossain.

Image gallery: opening ceremonies took place at the airport and in our partner hospital.

Week one on the plane focused on simulation training, where local teams built their confidence by practicing complex phacoemulsification, strabismus, and glaucoma surgical techniques on cutting-edge prosthetics with nurses honing their life-saving skills on life-like manikins.

Dr. Sheetal Pundir from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, who served as an Associate Ophthalmologist throughout week one said, “This simulation is a safe place. Make as many mistakes as you can, so that when you are in real life you know what to do and what not to do.”

Advanced cornea and cataract surgical training also took place at CEITC, led by longtime Volunteer Faculty Dr. Roberto Pineda.

Volunteer Faculty Dr. Karl Golnik led a one-day workshop on neuro-ophthalmology in the Alcon Classroom to 70 ophthalmologists and residents, followed by a live optometry webinar to nearly 100 optometrists and students.

Dr. Golnik also gave a three-day course on “training the trainers,” which was delivered to eleven senior ophthalmologists who teach in residency programs. This lecture was a follow-up to the faculty development program we are implementing with Bangladesh College of Physicians & Surgeons.

Long time corporate partner and Title Sponsor Alcon also delivered an ophthalmic maintenance and repair workshop to 11 biomedical engineers.

Image gallery: participants trained using surgical simulation technology during week one.

For week two, our clinical staff and expert volunteers welcomed patients on board the plane for live surgical training, with additional simulation training focusing on VR cataract surgery.

Local ophthalmologists received hands-on, best-in-class surgical training in pediatric glaucoma. With Volunteer Faculty providing expert guidance and advice, participants honed their skills so they can help their communities long after the plane has gone.

Nurses and anesthesiologists also received specialized pediatric training so our most vulnerable patients can receive world-class care.

Throughout the two-week project, 44 patients received sight-saving surgery, including 18 children. Thanks to our sponsors and supporters, they can look forward to a future of healthy sight, allowing them to thrive at school and in work.

Image gallery: children and adults received sight-saving surgery during week two.

Over the course of the project, Flying Eye Hospital staff welcomed 113 ophthalmologists and residents for lectures and surgery. These sessions were also all streamed live on Cybersight for 136 eye care professionals in 47 countries around the world.

For two years Kunchao was suffering from cataracts in both eyes. His vision loss became so severe that he was fired from his job and could no longer cross the road without the help of his family. Thankfully, a sight-saving surgery performed by Volunteer Faculty Dr. Roberto Pineda has dramatically increased his vision in one eye. His remaining cataract will be operated on shortly by the local team who participated in the training, putting into practice everything they learned on the project.

Kunchao tells us, “I’m so happy, but the tears of joy are coming from within me. I feel so blessed. Now I can be self-sufficient again.”

We would like to give an enormous thank you to Title Sponsors FedEx and the Alcon Foundation for making this project possible. The benefits of their support will continue to be felt for generations.

We also want to thank our collaborators and local partners, Ophthalmological Society of Bangladesh (OSB), Bangladesh College of Physicians & Surgeons (BCPS), National Eye Care (NEC), and Chittagong Eye Infirmary and Training Complex (CEITC), for their dedication to improving eye care in Bangladesh.

Lastly, none of this would be possible without Orbis supporters. Thank you for your continued support as the Flying Eye Hospital staff get ready for Ghana and Rwanda in 2025.