Flying Eye Hospital latest: Week two wraps up in Mongolia

Pediatric eye care requires a delicate hand to treat the most vulnerable eyes. In week two, we focused on improving Mongolian doctors' complex surgical skills so they can better treat cataracts and strabismus, two of the leading causes of childhood blindness in the country.

Thanks to Title Sponsor, OMEGA, 12 rural nurses and ophthalmologists have been able to transition from practicing with simulation technology to hands-on surgical training on board our aircraft and in a local hospital.

This was the first week of surgical care on the plane in 2024, and treating children made it even more rewarding. Director of the Flying Eye Hospital, Maurice Geary, says, “To see young kids coming on the plane with their parents, and in the course of one afternoon their sight is saved and their lives are changed. You can see it in the eyes of each of these parents; they know how much of an impact this is going to have on the life of their child. And for all of us, it’s just a special moment to witness.”

But these projects do more than treat patients. Long after the plane leaves, doctors will have the skills and knowledge to continue caring for their communities. To prepare Mongolian eye teams for the future, Volunteer Faculty Dr. Harry O’Halloran tells us, “The main emphasis was to show people how to successfully operate with as few instruments as possible and ... materials as possible.” He notes that it’s these expenses that are often barriers to surgery in low- and middle-income countries, and that by minimizing them during training, doctors can prepare local teams as best as possible.

And since it’s the Flying Eye Hospital’s ninth visit to Mongolia, some doctors from previous projects have returned for more training. Maurice tells us, “It’s great to see familiar faces, see the relationship grow over these years, and most of all, see their skills improving."

OMEGA has been a proud supporter of Orbis and our Flying Eye Hospital projects since 2011. This includes a first-of-its-kind training project held in Doha, Qatar, in 2022 for women in eye care from conflict-affected areas and last year’s project in Zambia. OMEGA also works with its celebrity brand ambassadors to increase awareness of our mission.

Thanks to their support, and thanks to Orbis donors around the world, we’re helping improve the quality of eye care available in Mongolia for generations to come.