Highland Park, IL — QUAD A, the nonprofit global accreditation authority, partnered with Orbis International from October 1–3, 2025, in Dubai to highlight the importance of clinical standards in delivering safe ophthalmic care.
Both organizations have worked together for more than a decade to support sight-saving surgeries and expand access to high-quality eye care. The Dubai event focused on the Orbis Flying Eye Hospital, a fully equipped surgical, procedural and teaching hospital housed aboard a converted MD-10 aircraft accredited by QUAD A since 2014.
Founded in 1973 by ophthalmologist Dr. David Paton, Orbis improves access to quality eye care by training providers, performing essential procedures and supporting long-term development of local eye-care professionals.
The Orbis Flying Eye Hospital is the world’s only fully accredited ophthalmic teaching hospital on board an aircraft, featuring an operating room, recovery room, sterilization area, classroom and advanced simulation center. This unique approach enables Orbis to provide advanced ophthalmic training and sight-restoring procedures in communities that need them most.
“Safe care should not depend on geography or resources. Accreditation allows the Flying Eye Hospital to deliver the same high standards of practice wherever it operates. Patients and local teams receive consistent, comprehensive care from a top-tier team of credentialed eye-care professionals. Our collaboration with Orbis reflects a shared commitment to strengthening high-quality ophthalmic care worldwide,” explains Muddrik Anwar, QUAD A Director of Growth and Partnerships - EMR.
The Flying Eye Hospital provides a controlled clinical setting where Orbis’s permanent clinical staff, alongside Volunteer Faculty, train local eye-care teams through hands-on surgical instruction, simulation-based learning, and onsite mentorship. Education takes place both on board the aircraft and in partner hospitals, supporting long-term skill development for local ophthalmic professionals.
“The Flying Eye Hospital allows us to bring world-class ophthalmic training directly to the communities that need it most. Accreditation helps ensure that every procedure and every teaching session on board meets the highest standards of safety and quality, no matter where we are in the world. We’re grateful to collaborate with QUAD A in strengthening local eye-care systems and expanding access to sight-saving services,” Kara Foley, Senior Corporate Partnerships Officer, Orbis International, reports.
The Dubai showcase created important opportunities for engagement with regional eye-care teams and health officials, offering insight into training needs, safety protocols and the value of accredited clinical environments.
QUAD A continues to support facilities that seek reliable, standards-based frameworks for delivering safe surgical and procedural care.
Established in 1980, QUAD A, a nonprofit, physician-founded and led accreditation organization, has worked with thousands of outpatient facilities to help standardize and improve the quality of healthcare they provide.
QUAD A strives to be an effective, efficient and easy-to-work-with partner that values education, reliability and communication.
To learn more about QUAD A, the accreditation process and why it’s so important to seek out accredited facilities when making healthcare-related decisions, visit www.quada.org.