Orbis International commits to helping improve eye health for more than 18 million people

Global commitment announced during the first Global Summit for Eye Health will strengthen the global eye health workforce, expand quality cataract care, and implement AI screening

NEW YORK, Oct. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Global eye care nonprofit Orbis International is committing an estimated US$32 million in financial and technical contributions from 2027 through 2030 to help strengthen eye health systems and expand access to quality eye care. The commitment aims to contribute to better eye health outcomes for more than 18 million people worldwide and support the professional development of more than 250,000 eye health professionals.

The commitment is being made in connection with the first Global Summit for Eye Health, hosted by the Government of Antigua and Barbuda in technical collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO). The Summit brings together leaders from government, the public and private sectors, NGOs, and funding institutions to share ambitious commitments in order to reach the 1 billion people living with avoidable vision loss.

Orbis has endorsed the St. John's Global Compact for Eye Health and its shared agenda for action, investment, and accountability. Orbis's Summit commitments put that support into practice through workforce development, quality cataract care, and responsible use of digital technology and artificial intelligence.

"The Global Summit for Eye Health is an opportunity to turn shared ambition into practical action. Orbis supports the St. John's Global Compact and is committing our expertise and resources to help countries build the workforce and systems needed to deliver lasting improvements in eye health," said Kathleen Sherwin, President and CEO of Orbis International. "Working alongside governments and partners, we will focus on quality care and reaching people who too often go without it, particularly women, girls, and underserved communities."

At the center of the commitment is a simple principle: lasting progress depends on countries having the people, skills, and systems to deliver quality eye care. Orbis International will work alongside ministries of health, WHO, the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), civil society, professional associations, and private-sector partners, supporting country-led priorities and locally-led approaches.

Training more eye health professionals

One of the biggest barriers to quality eye care is access to a skilled workforce. By 2030, Orbis International plans to support the ongoing professional development of more than 250,000 eye health professionals globally, including through Cybersight, the world's leading digital platform for eye health–connecting learning, mentorship, AI, and clinical support to strengthen eye-health systems at scale.

Orbis International will continue providing free access to Cybersight through 2030, representing an estimated US$15 million contribution over four years. Its capabilities will also be made available to support IAPB learning, training, and development initiatives.

"There is a global crisis in eye health: the lack of a trained workforce to treat and prevent conditions that cause blindness," said Hunter Cherwek, Chief Medical Officer at Orbis International. "And the demand for trained professionals is only growing with the increase in the number of people with sight-threatening conditions who need eye care. These commitments help governments build that workforce, and Cybersight lets us reach professionals wherever they work."

Expanding access to quality cataract care

Cataract is the leading cause of blindness globally; timely, high-quality surgery can restore sight. Orbis International will invest the equivalent of US$17 million in financial and technical contributions between 2027 and 2030 to strengthen the eye health workforce, improve surgical quality, build institutional capacity, and expand access to high-quality cataract services. The work will contribute toward WHO's 2030 cataract targets and the SEE 2045 global initiative.

Working with governments and partners, including Alcon, Orbis International will support cataract training through hands-on clinical experience, digital learning, mentorship, and simulation.

"Closing the gap between what modern eye care can achieve and what patients can access is one of the most important eye health challenges of our time," said David J. Endicott, Alcon's Chief Executive Officer. "Solving it will require collaboration, investment, and a shared commitment to building the workforce and capacity needed to bring quality eye care to more people around the world."

Bringing responsible AI into routine eye care

Beginning in 2027, Orbis International will partner with the Government of Antigua and Barbuda to integrate AI-assisted diabetic retinopathy screening into routine diabetes care, supporting the Prime Minister's Vision Initiative. The partners will work toward screening at least 80% screening coverage among people receiving diabetes care by 2030, with referral, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up pathways for patients who need further care.

"Antigua and Barbuda is proud to strengthen its partnership with Orbis International to make quality eye care accessible, equitable and sustainable for all," said Walton Webson, Permanent Representative of Antigua and Barbuda to the United Nations. "Beginning in 2027, this collaboration will advance AI-assisted screening for diabetic retinopathy, strengthen local capacity and expand early detection. Together with the support of other international partners, it will help us build a comprehensive eye care model that can be adapted across the Caribbean and other Small Island Developing States. Our ambition is clear: to protect sight, expand opportunity and demonstrate that small island nations can lead in inclusive health innovation. No one should lose their sight—or their opportunity to thrive—to a condition we have the means to prevent or treat."

Orbis International will also generate evidence and share lessons from the program to help inform the responsible adoption and potential scale-up of similar approaches in other countries.

A commitment to lasting change

The commitments build on Orbis International's approach of investing in eye care professionals and institutions, so improvements continue long after an individual program ends. Orbis will provide direct support to strengthen government-led systems and institutions in 16 countries, while offering global access to learning, mentorship, and clinical support through Cybersight across more than 200 countries and territories. Its approach will place particular attention on women, girls, and underserved communities. Its work combines training with partnerships, technology, and health-system strengthening designed to bring quality care closer to the communities that need it.

The commitments will run from January 2027 through December 2030, covering priority areas including cataract, diabetic retinopathy, childhood eye health, and refractive error.

About Orbis International

Orbis International works around the world to prevent blindness and restore sight for children and adults in places where eye care is out of reach—so vision problems don't make it harder to learn, earn a living, or enjoy life. Around 1.1 billion people live with vision loss, but with the right care, 90% of it is completely avoidable. That is why Orbis trains doctors, nurses, and other eye care professionals to provide care in their own communities—and works to make sure people of all ages can access the eye exams, glasses, medicine, and surgeries they need to protect and restore their sight. Orbis began this work more than 40 years ago with the Flying Eye Hospital, a teaching hospital on a plane that brings expert training and care where they're needed most. Today, we also work with local hospitals and clinics across Africa, Asia, and Latin America to make eye care available to more people, and we use and develop technology—like our award-winning Cybersight e-learning and telehealth platform, artificial intelligence screening, and virtual reality training—to help eye care teams treat patients more effectively. To learn more, please visit orbis.org.

MEDIA CONTACT
Jenna Montgomery
Associate Director, Global Communications and Marketing
[email protected]

SOURCE Orbis International