In the ten years Zhang Bin has been an ophthalmologist, he’s performed hundreds of cataract surgeries. Yet he saw there was still tremendous need for improved access to eye care among the 8 million people living in and around Shenyang, where some of his patients travel three hours for treatment.
So when he heard the Flying Eye Hospital and its staff of volunteer doctors were coming to town to treat patients and train local eye care professionals, he eagerly signed up.
The Flying Eye Hospital is operated by Orbis International, a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing the standard and availability of eye care in more than 90 countries around the world. Alcon, the Novartis eye care division, has supported Orbis for 34 years with grants, donated equipment and volunteers.
The Orbis Flying Eye Hospital, the world’s only fully accredited teaching hospital on an aircraft, was designed to bring the best medical technology and training to the developing world. The third generation of the flying hospital, built in a donated MD-10 jet, was unveiled in June and its first mission was to Shenyang. There, the hospital’s volunteers used the plane’s operating room and advanced equipment to demonstrate a variety of eye surgeries.
Preventable forms of blindness are common in China, yet not enough doctors there are equipped to treat them. For instance, cataracts, a clouding of the eye’s lens, account for about 40% of all blindness in China. However, because fewer than half of China’s 23,000 ophthalmologists perform cataract surgery, many people still go without treatment.
![Doctor seeing a patient Dr. Zhang reviews his patient notes during a surgery evaluation](/sites/novartis_com/files/styles/crop_freeform/public/2021-08/orbis-story-1.jpg.webp?itok=7WvjTOpp)
![Doctors discussing patient options Drs. Zhang and Lehmann discuss surgery options for Mrs. Cao](/sites/novartis_com/files/styles/crop_freeform/public/2021-08/orbis-story-2.jpg.webp?itok=jwtH6wBn)
![Doctors discuss procedure before an eye surgery Dr. Lehmann discusses pre-surgery procedures as a part of hands-on training aboard the hospital](/sites/novartis_com/files/styles/crop_freeform/public/2021-08/orbis-story-3.jpg.webp?itok=cYF_iV7N)
![Doctors work together in surgery Several doctors in training work together with their teacher during an eye surgery](/sites/novartis_com/files/styles/crop_freeform/public/2021-08/orbis-story-4.jpg.webp?itok=50fO-yju)
![Doctor observing a surgery Dr. Zhang observes a surgery on a screen as trainees work in the background](/sites/novartis_com/files/styles/crop_freeform/public/2021-08/orbis-story-5.jpg.webp?itok=Pjiu_KOc)
![Doctor sanitizing before surgery Dr. Zhang washes up before an eye procedure](/sites/novartis_com/files/styles/crop_freeform/public/2021-08/orbis-story-6.jpg.webp?itok=RG_0gkzd)
![Trainees wearing 3D glasses Trainees wear 3D glasses to help them visualize a surgery in progress aboard the flying hospital](/sites/novartis_com/files/styles/crop_freeform/public/2021-08/orbis-story-7.jpg.webp?itok=a2e53E4F)
![Doctors and trainees discuss a surgical tool Doctors and trainees point at the screen on a medical robot that aids in eye surgeries](/sites/novartis_com/files/styles/crop_freeform/public/2021-08/orbis-story-8.jpg.webp?itok=QNUGtbCr)
![Trainees operate on patient Trainees operate on a patient during an eye surgery](/sites/novartis_com/files/styles/crop_freeform/public/2021-08/orbis-story-9.jpg.webp?itok=DgCmmpJ8)
![Patient waves to the camera after surgery Mrs. Cao waves to the camera after exiting the flying hospital post-operation](/sites/novartis_com/files/styles/crop_freeform/public/2021-08/orbis-story-10.jpg.webp?itok=GXcK3Tuh)
![Doctor giving test to patient A doctor administers an eye test post-operation](/sites/novartis_com/files/styles/crop_freeform/public/2021-08/orbis-story-11.jpg.webp?itok=bnB1_Ity)
![Happy patient reacts to good news Mrs. Cao gives an enthusiastic thumbs up after a successful operation](/sites/novartis_com/files/styles/crop_freeform/public/2021-08/orbis-story-12.jpg.webp?itok=qCvPh93Z)
Meet the flying hospital that brings training to local eye care professionals in under-resourced communities