Orbis International President and CEO Kathleen Sherwin virtually inaugurated a new Digital Training Hub (DTH) at Sankara Eye Hospital, Bengaluru, aimed at expanding access to specialised ophthalmic training and strengthening the skills of eye care professionals across Karnataka and South India.

The facility was inaugurated in the presence of Dr B. L. Sujatha Rathod, Director of Medical Education, Government of Karnataka; Padma Shri Dr R. V. Ramani, Founder of Sankara Eye Foundation; and former Test cricketer and commentator Vijay Bharadwaj, among other dignitaries.

The hub combines in-person simulation and clinical training with technology-enabled learning, virtual reality, global expertise and ongoing mentorship. It integrates hands-on training with Orbis's Cybersight telemedicine and e-learning platform and its global network of Volunteer Faculty.

The DTH will support ophthalmologists, ophthalmologists-in-training, ophthalmic nurses and other eye health professionals through hospital-based training, observerships, fellowships and remote surgical mentorship. It is expected to train around 200 eye health professionals annually, with a particular focus on medical retina training for ophthalmologists.

“The most powerful investment we can make in eye care is an investment in people,” Sherwin said, adding that the hub brings together technology, simulation and global mentorship with Sankara's clinical expertise.

Orbis said the initiative comes amid a continuing need to strengthen specialised eye care capacity in India. Around 270,000 children in India are living with blindness, with more than half of childhood blindness considered avoidable, according to the organisation. India also accounts for more than 20% of the world's blind population.

Orbis has worked in India since 1988. In 2025, its India programmes recorded more than 296,000 community eye screenings and examinations and over 4,500 trainings completed by eye health professionals.

“This partnership allows us to leverage Sankara's clinical expertise and create a multiplier effect through training, technology and mentorship,” said Rishi Raj Borah, Country Director, Orbis India.

The 225-bed Sankara Eye Hospital in Bengaluru also houses the Sankara Vision Academy, which offers DNB, fellowship and optometry programmes. The new hub adds a wet lab, simulation models and virtual reality-enabled training tools to the hospital's existing training ecosystem.