An inside look at the world’s only flying eye hospital has revealed the complex operation required to keep this unique aircraft in the skies to bring sight-saving care to thousands in the developing world.
The Orbis International operation has been running for almost 40 years and is kept alive by the tireless work of volunteers and donors funding multimillion-dollar projects.
More than 1.1 billion people around the world are believed to be living with vision loss, of which 90 per cent live in low and middle-income countries.
The Flying Eye Hospital was created in 1982 in partnership with cargo firm FedEx to help reduce those numbers.
People in need of eye surgery, for common complaints such as glaucoma or cataracts, receive care otherwise out of reach in communities on ground lacking medical infrastructure.
Meanwhile, as a fully accredited ophthalmic teaching hospital complete with operating room, classroom and recovery space, the set-up allows health professionals to be trained in delivering eye care, creating a lasting legacy when the air hospital flies off to its next destination.
On a short stopover at Dubai World Central Airport after a humanitarian visit to Rwanda, the modified MD-10 cargo jet was stocking up on medical supplies and fuel before heading to Ghana for vital outreach work.
Compact but effective
At 55 metres, the plane is significantly shorter than a Boeing 747 but its wide body and short wingspan make it ideal to fly in and out of remote airports with restricted runways.
Bruce Johnson, director of aircraft operations and maintenance for Orbis, has worked in aviation all his career and spent time as a pilot in the US Air Force as well as managing ground and air operations around the world.
“We do a lot of work in Asia and Africa so naturally, as Dubai is right in between, it's a really good logistical stop for us,” he told The National.
“The airports here support us, whether that's Dubai Airports, Jetex or FedEx, they all help us here when we need to stop for restocking all our medical supplies.
“We're currently working on the plane as well, so our medical and aircraft parts come in here and we're also refuelling. Occasionally, we do long-term parking here as it's a safe parking area for the aircraft.”
Mr Johnson said the biggest challenge was managing worldwide logistics and acquiring supplies, parts and equipment, as well as moving staff in.
Taking off and landing at some of the world’s most remote airports also requires much skill and forward planning.
“Some of the places we work are not necessarily airports with four runways or 13,000 feet long,” said Mr Johnson. “So we're going up into high-altitude fields with short airfields, so we have to go in fairly light. That is the most difficult part.
“We are completely non-profit, so everything we do is donation-based. Some of that support is from airports donating their services.
“Companies donate the pilot's approach plates, or waive landing fees and parking permits. All these things reduce our operating costs, so most of our money can go directly to the patients rather than operations.”
40-plus years of service
Since being launched in 1982, the Flying Eye Hospital has visited more than 80 countries.
Thanks to direct visits and training, Orbis has facilitated more than 22.3 million eye tests and conducted more than 607,000 eye surgeries and laser treatments, giving the gift of sight back to thousands of people otherwise facing a potential life of blindness.
Much of the funding has been covered by FedEx, which donated the current aircraft in 2016, as well as plane parts, maintenance and pilot training.
In 2021, FedEx announced its renewed commitment with Orbis a $3.5 million donation to help provide financial, logistical and operational support until 2026.
A number of FedEx pilots past and present also give up some of their time to fly the plane to all its destinations.
One of those is Capt Gary Dyson, chief pilot for Orbis International and a retired FedEx pilot who has been flying with the charity for 25 years.
“My first trip was to Fuzhou, China. I’d never been to China before, and never flown the Flying Eye Hospital to a surgical project,” he said.
“I wasn’t very familiar with Orbis’s work at that point, but I stayed for screening day and saw how local patients were screened and operations were organised.
“I remember getting to watch a live surgery, standing right by the surgeon in the operating theatre. And that’s when I became hooked.”
In a regular screening day on board, more than 70 people can receive eye tests, many of them children.
Capt Dyson takes his role with Orbis even further by playing guitar for those waiting to be screened.
“Landing in a new country with the Flying Eye Hospital is always a powerful experience,” he said. “I’ll never forget meeting a mother in Nigeria whose daughter had her sight restored on the aircraft. “She was so overwhelmed with gratitude that she offered me her family’s cow.
“Knowing how important that cow was to her family, her gesture was incredibly humbling. Moments like that show just how much impact restored vision has – not only for the patient but for their entire community.”
Medical technology
On board the aircraft, 3D-surgical streaming allows medical professionals to experience operations as if looking through a microscope, with real-time feedback and a question-and-answer session for trainees.
A mobile simulation centre helps doctors build skills safely using virtual-reality headsets, artificial eyes and mannequins before performing real surgical operations.
Patients can even be screened ahead of the hospital’s arrival to speed up treatment, with people connected with eye care specialists around the world through a 'telemedicine' platform called Cybersight.
The Orbis Flying Eye Hospital visited the UAE to raise awareness and understanding of the project, ahead of World Sight Day on October 9.
“Welcoming the Flying Eye Hospital to Dubai is a reminder of the vital work being done across the Middle East, Indian subcontinent and Africa to expand access to eye care,” said Taarek Hinedi, vice president of Middle East and Africa operations at FedEx.
“By supporting these efforts with our resources and expertise, we are helping local communities strengthen healthcare systems and create brighter opportunities for the future.”
