Orbis International
Orbis International is a nonprofit that prevents blindness in low- and middle-income countries by delivering ophthalmic training and eye care through the Flying Eye Hospital, a global vision-center network, and AI-assisted retinopathy of prematurity screening for premature infants.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1982
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Orbis International does
Orbis International is an international nonprofit organization founded in 1982 and headquartered in New York that focuses on preventing blindness and building sustainable eye-care capacity in low- and middle-income countries. Its core operational asset is the Flying Eye Hospital, the world's only fully accredited ophthalmic teaching hospital on an aircraft, which travels to partner countries to deliver hands-on surgical and clinical training in cataract, glaucoma, oculoplastics, medical retina, anesthesiology, nursing, and biomedical engineering. The organization complements the aircraft program with a network of permanent vision centers established in partnership with host-country ministries of health and local hospitals, and it has signed multi-year national partnerships — most notably a five-year agreement with Peru's Ministry of Health established in 2022 — to integrate eye health into broader public health systems.
Its product surface is expanding beyond traditional surgical training into AI-enabled screening. Since 2023, Orbis has operated the world's first AI-assisted retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) screening program, built on Siloam Vision's FDA breakthrough-designated iTelegen telemedicine platform, which analyzes retinal images captured via smartphone-attached cameras and returns results in seconds versus days. The program launched in Mongolia at the National Center for Maternal and Child Health in 2026 and is being expanded to Bangladesh. Orbis serves a mix of end beneficiaries (patients in underserved regions, reached free of charge) and institutional partners including ministries of health, public hospitals, and corporate and foundation funders.
The business model is that of a charitable nonprofit rather than a commercial enterprise. Services to patients are provided at no cost, with funding drawn from individual donations, corporate sponsorships and in-kind contributions (FedEx, Alcon, OMEGA), foundation grants (Alcon Foundation), and government partnerships. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is not applicable to end users. The go-to-market motion combines episodic, event-driven program delivery through the Flying Eye Hospital with a community-led model of long-duration national partnerships and vision-center buildouts, supported by partner-marketing channels and earned media around events such as World Sight Day.
Orbis International firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Orbis International
- Website
- https://orbis.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1982
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Orbis International is a nonprofit that prevents blindness in low- and middle-income countries by delivering ophthalmic training and eye care through the Flying Eye Hospital, a global vision-center network, and AI-assisted retinopathy of prematurity screening for premature infants.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Orbis International industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Global Eye Health Nonprofit Services
- NAICS
- Offices of Optometrists (621320), Offices of Optometrists (62132), International Affairs (92812)
- SIC
- Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093), Services-Educational Services (8200), Ophthalmic Goods (3851)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Comprehensive Eye Exams & Vision Care (HLAKAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Ophthalmology & Vision Telemedicine Platforms (HLALAGAL), Ocular Imaging & Diagnostic Testing Centers (HLAKAKAN), Disaster Response & Search and Rescue (SAR) (BPADADAA)
Keywords
Where Orbis International is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Orbis International business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Corporate Partnerships & Sponsorships: Orbis receives substantial support from corporate partners including Alcon, FedEx, and OMEGA. FedEx alone has contributed over $22 million including a recent $3.5 million pledge. Partnerships support Flying Eye Hospital operations, training programs, and equipment.
- Foundation & Government Grants: Orbis receives support from foundations (Alcon Foundation) and government partnerships. The organization has established five-year national partnerships with ministries of health to strengthen eye health systems.
- Donations & Charitable Contributions: As a nonprofit organization, Orbis relies on donations from individuals, corporations, and charitable foundations to fund its global eye care programs and the Flying Eye Hospital operations.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
Orbis International product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Orbis International is a nonprofit organization that delivers ophthalmic training and eye care services globally through the Flying Eye Hospital—the world's only fully accredited ophthalmic teaching hospital on an aircraft. The organization supplements its direct surgical training programs with vision centers established in partnership with local health systems and AI-assisted retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) screening delivered via Siloam Vision's iTelegen telemedicine platform. Its core work combines mobile hands-on training missions, AI-enabled diagnostics, and multi-year national partnerships with ministries of health in low- and middle-income countries.
Product overview
Orbis International operates the Flying Eye Hospital—the world's only fully accredited ophthalmic teaching hospital on an aircraft—as its primary product for delivering eye care training and surgical services in underserved regions. The organization also offers AI-assisted retinopathy of prematurity screening services through integration with Siloam Vision's iTelegen telemedicine platform, enabling rapid automated detection using smartphone-attached retinal cameras. These offerings work together to address global blindness prevention through both direct surgical training and AI-enabled diagnostic capabilities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Flying Eye Hospital The world's only fully accredited ophthalmic teaching hospital on an aircraft, providing hands-on surgical training and eye care services across cataract, glaucoma, oculoplastics, medical retina, anesthesiology, nursing, and biomedical engineering to eye care professionals in underserved regions.
- AI-Assisted ROP Screening Program
Quantifiable outcome
- 32,000 pre-term babies become permanently blind from ROP annually without intervention; AI screening enables detection within seconds vs days previously
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Orbis International
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Orbis International technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability2 records
Feature2 records
Orbis International partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- AlconcoreAlcon supports Orbis's Flying Eye Hospital projects in Peru and other locations, providing resources and expertise for ophthalmic training programs focused on cataract, glaucoma, oculoplastics, medical retina, and related specialties.
- OMEGAcoreOMEGA supports the Flying Eye Hospital project in Peru as part of Orbis's corporate partnership program to expand access to eye care across southern Peru.
- Siloam VisionflagshipOrbis and Siloam Vision achieved a world first by using AI to screen premature babies for retinopathy of prematurity using Siloam's FDA breakthrough-designated iTelegen telemedicine platform. The partnership enables results within seconds compared to days previously and is being expanded to Bangladesh.
- Alcon FoundationcoreAlcon Foundation supports the Flying Eye Hospital trip to Ghana, contributing to training local eye care teams in Accra and Kumasi to improve eye health services.
- Ministry of Health (Ghana)corePartnership with Ghana's Ministry of Health for Flying Eye Hospital training program in Accra and Kumasi to improve eye health services and build capacity in Ghana's eye care system.
- FedExflagshipFedEx has collaborated with Orbis for over 40 years to support the Flying Eye Hospital. FedEx has contributed over US$22 million including a recent US$3.5 million pledge. Support includes donations, logistical support, and volunteer pilots. FedEx is a key corporate partner enabling the Flying Eye Hospital operations.
- Ministry of Health (Peru)flagshipFive-year national partnership established in 2022 with Peru's Ministry of Health to strengthen eye health systems, establish vision centers, and improve access to eye care across the country including rural and indigenous communities.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves3 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Orbis International competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- CBM (Christian Blind Mission): International development organization focused on disability inclusion including avoidable blindness prevention. Runs hospital-based and community eye health programs in low-income countries with comparable partnerships with ministries of health.
- Sightsavers: International non-profit focused on preventing avoidable blindness and promoting equality for people with disabilities. Operates eye care programs across 30+ low-and-middle-income countries with similar MoH partnership and training models, making it the closest organizational peer.
- Light for the World: Austria-based international NGO focused on eye health and disability inclusion, working with hospitals and local partners in low-income countries. Similar mix of direct service delivery and systems-strengthening approach.
- Helen Keller International: US-headquartered NGO combating preventable blindness and malnutrition globally through vitamin A distribution and eye health programs. Highly comparable nonprofit model, target geographies, and donor-driven revenue structure.
- The Fred Hollows Foundation: Australian-headquartered NGO working on ending avoidable blindness through local training, surgical services, and advocacy across more than 25 countries. Directly comparable mission, donor base, and capacity-building model to Orbis.
- Operation Eyesight Universal: Canada-based international development organization focused on eliminating avoidable blindness, particularly in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Comparable hospital partnerships, vision center model, and capacity-building approach.
Broad incumbents
- BRAC: Large international development organization operating health, education, and microfinance programs in multiple low-income countries. Comparable in scale, NGO structure, and MoH partnership approach but not eye-care focused.
- Partners In Health: Larger global health NGO providing comprehensive healthcare in low-resource settings across multiple countries. Comparable non-profit funding model and MoH partnership structure, though broader in scope beyond ophthalmology.
- Doctors Without Borders (MSF): Major medical humanitarian organization with global footprint providing emergency and surgical care in low-resource settings. Comparable international non-profit structure and program delivery model, but focused on crisis response rather than capacity building.
Emerging players
- Aravind Eye Care System: India-based network of eye hospitals providing high-volume, low-cost cataract and ophthalmic care with a training and capacity-building mission. Comparable ophthalmic training ethos and scale ambitions, but operates primarily as a direct provider rather than nonprofit partnership model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Orbis International social profiles
Digital presenceOrbis International financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Orbis International leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Orbis International funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Orbis International M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Orbis International
What does Orbis International do?
Orbis International is a nonprofit organization that delivers ophthalmic training and eye care services globally through the Flying Eye Hospital—the world's only fully accredited ophthalmic teaching hospital on an aircraft. The organization supplements its direct surgical training programs with vision centers established in partnership with local health systems and AI-assisted retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) screening delivered via Siloam Vision's iTelegen telemedicine platform. Its core work combines mobile hands-on training missions, AI-enabled diagnostics, and multi-year national partnerships with ministries of health in low- and middle-income countries.
Is Orbis International a public or private company?
Orbis International is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Orbis International founded?
Orbis International was founded in 1982. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Orbis International based?
Orbis International is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Orbis International make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Corporate Partnerships & Sponsorships are the primary driver. The others are foundation & Government Grants and donations & Charitable Contributions.
Who are Orbis International's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are CBM (Christian Blind Mission), Sightsavers, Light for the World, Helen Keller International, The Fred Hollows Foundation and Operation Eyesight Universal. Broad incumbents are BRAC, Partners In Health and Doctors Without Borders (MSF). Aravind Eye Care System is listed as an emerging player.
Does Orbis International have an API?
No public API is recorded for Orbis International.
What industry is Orbis International in?
Orbis International's product category is Global Eye Health Nonprofit Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAKAKAA, Comprehensive Eye Exams & Vision Care, with a secondary code of HLALAGAL, Ophthalmology & Vision Telemedicine Platforms. Its NAICS code is 621320 and its SIC code is 8093.