Game-changer Eye Health Training

In a major stride toward advancing ophthalmic education and strengthening eye care services in South Asia, Nepal Netra Jyoti Sangh (NNJS), in collaboration with Orbis International, has started the “NNJS-Orbis Digital Training Hub (DTH) Project in Nepal” at Biratnagar Eye Hospital (BEH). This transformative initiative is designed to revolutionise the way eye health professionals are trained, bringing together the latest in simulation technology, telemedicine, blended learning, and mentorship.

Nepal has made impressive progress in expanding access to eye care services, but its ophthalmic training infrastructure still faces significant limitations. Many institutions continue to rely heavily on conventional teaching methods, with minimal exposure to surgical simulation or subspecialty training. As a result, most ophthalmology graduates complete their education without adequate hands-on surgical experience, particularly beyond surgery of cataract, the leading cause of blindness in Nepal. The 2021 RAAB study confirmed that cataract and its complications still account for 65.2 per cent of avoidable blindness in the country.

This training hub at BEH directly attempts to address some of these challenges. Designed to serve as a regional centre of excellence, the DTH will enhance the hospital’s capacity to deliver high-quality, hands-on, and simulation-based training to ophthalmologists, optometrists, and allied eye care personnel from across Nepal and neighbouring regions. This initiative is not only aligned with the country’s strategic eye health goals but also supports the mission of the International Agency for Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) to eliminate avoidable blindness through innovation, equity, and collaboration.

The DTH at BEH incorporates a comprehensive and integrated model of education. It features dry labs, virtual reality simulation-based training using artificial eyes, tele-education through the cyber sight platform, and remote surgical mentorship that allows trainees to receive expert guidance in real time, even from remote locations. Training programmes include sandwich fellowships that blend in-person and remote learning, observer ships, and hospital-based training led by Orbis Volunteer Faculty to build hands-on clinical skills in specific subspecialties. Additional learning opportunities will be delivered through continuous medical education sessions and webinars, ensuring ongoing professional development for both general and specialist ophthalmologists.

The hospital’s existing wet lab is being upgraded with modern surgical simulators, high-fidelity audio-visual systems, and essential instruments and consumables to enable realistic practice in a safe and supervised setting. A dedicated HRs will support the seamless operation of blended learning, recording, assessments, and remote mentorships. Furthermore, a structured curriculum is being developed with input from subject matter experts to standardise fellowships and observer ships in line with international best practices.

The project emphasises sustainability and institutional capacity-building. A pool of local trainers will be trained through “Training of Trainers” programmes, ensuring that the DTH continues to function effectively well beyond the project’s end date. Engaging local and regional medical institutions is another key strategy, opening the door for residents and eye care professionals from across the country to enroll in various courses, access remote consultations, and benefit from the resources available on cyber sight. 

As a major referral hospital under the Lahan eye and ear care system (LEECS), BEH already caters to millions of patients from Eastern Nepal, India and many countries in Asia. With NNJS’s extensive network of 28 eye hospitals and 226 eye care centers, the impact of the DTH will be both deep and far-reaching. It sets a powerful precedent for how ophthalmic education can be transformed in LMICs countries using digital innovation and global partnerships.

(Shah is a program manager of Nepal Netra Jyoti Sangh.)