The photo of Orbis’ Flying Eye Hospital was taken in Guangzhou during the 30th anniversary of Orbis in China in 2012. (PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

Project Orbis, an international medical training project, has been growing its service and presence in China in the past 40 years, strengthening its ties with the country through the decades.

In the late 1970s, there were about 10 million people who were blind with another 5 million people who had serious eye diseases. If no effective measures have been taken, the total number of blind people would soar to 400 or 450 million to the end of the 20th century. This situation was very common especially in developing countries and regions, such as China, India, Africa and Southeast Asia. 

Taking into great concern of such situation, Dr David Paton, chairman and professor of the Cullen Eye Institute at Texas Medical Center in Houston, imagined taking a group of eye specialists by a large aeroplane to developing countries for treating the patients with cataract and other eye diseases, and training the voluntary operation assistants. As importantly, the aeroplane should be equipped with advanced instruments and facilities. In 1977, Paton invited Dr Dominic Lam Man-kit, who was teaching at the Harvard Medical School, to be professor of ophthalmology in his institute. They remain the best of friends and keep communicating with each other to this day.

With great concerted efforts and enthusiasm, in 1979, Project Orbis was launched with the donation of a retired DC-8 aeroplane and the sponsorship by USAID for interior renovation.

Under the leadership of Paton, with the collaboration of Professor Lam and others, Orbis began its operations in 1982. Since March 1982, Orbis has carried more than 600 eye specialists from 29 countries to visit more than 70 countries and regions, performed free cataract and other surgical operations for 2 million patients worldwide, trained about 2 million physicians and assistants from different nations, and performed about 100 million eye examinations. 

After his 1979 trip to the US, Deng Xiaoping appointed top Chinese eye specialists Professor Chen Yiu-chuen and Professor Mo Man-shu, to organize Orbis’ visit to China. The two leading Chinese specialists are seen with Dr Daid Paton in this photo. (PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

Why did Orbis visit China in 1982? The story started from Deng Xiaoping’s trip to the United States in 1979. Deng then visited the Texas Medical Center in Houston where he met Professor Lam and learned about Orbis. Deng invited Orbis to visit China to help the millions of eye-impaired there. Deng then appointed Professors Chen Yiu-chuen and Mo Man-shu, the most important eye specialists in China at that time, to organize Orbis’ visit to China. At that time, Professor Lam was invited to be in charge of the China visit of Orbis as he was then the only member of the Orbis team from China and spoke Chinese. 

From 1979 to 1982, Lam travelled frequently back and forth between the US and China, including Beijing and Guangzhou, seeking the government’s permission for Orbis’ provision of free medical services in China. In this regard, Professor Lam communicated with different government offices. 

For the convenience of working with them, Professor Lam was later invited to stay in Diaoyutai State Guesthouse during his visits to China. Finally in 1982, the approval document was issued. It was signed by Madam Deng Yingchao. In September of that year, Paton, Professor Lam and a number of eye specialists landed Orbis at Baiyun Airport in Guangzhou. They were warmly received. 

Later in 1985, Orbis visited Beijing and Shanghai and acquainted with a number of top government officials. Up to present, Orbis has contributed tremendously to eye care and treatment in China – establishing the first children’s eye center of in Shaanxi province, introducing the multi-level price mechanism in the eye medical services of the rural area, establishing the first eye bank in Chongqing, enabling the eye doctors to receive simulation training of eye operation, and providing free medical consultations to the eye doctors in China from specialists all over the world through the internet.

In 1999, Orbis set up an office in the mainland. This nonprofit, non-political and independent organization is developing into a global eye organization, thus becoming the world’s core strength of preventing and treating blindness. 

Inspired by Orbis, Professor Lam intended to accelerate the charity services of treating eye diseases. In 1999, he returned to Hong Kong from the US and established the charitable World Eye Organization (WEO). While concerning about the development of Orbis, such as joining its 30th anniversary in Guangzhou in 2012, WEO has established nine eye centers in the mainland, from Xinjiang to Heilongjiang, and from Hainan to Shantou. WEO has been in operation for 20 years up to now, and it will continue to serve.

2022 marks Orbis’ 40th anniversary and the 20th anniversary of WEO’s first eye center. Throughout the 40 years, Professor Lam inherits the valuable guidance of his Harvard mentor, Nobel Laureate Torsten Wiesel, and Paton, and continually extends his charity services in eye care, medical research, education, as well as art and culture through establishing the charitable World Culture Organization and World Biotech Organization, contributing to the happiness and health worldwide.