Experts in Eye Health from Orbis to Speak at SXSW on Fighting Blindness through Innovation

Orbis selected to present panel at South By Southwest Conference & Festivals

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Feb 02, 2017, 16:47 ET

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --Leaders in eye health, social impact and technology will convene on a panel at South by Southwest (SXSW) to explore new ways to fight avoidable blindness around the world. During the session, Fighting Blindness with Tech Innovation and Access, attendees will experience a virtual tour of the world's only mobile, fully accredited Flying Eye Hospital on board Orbis International's MD-10 aircraft, and learn how technology on the plane is used to train thousands of eye health professionals around the globe.

Speakers will include:

In collaboration with hospitals around the world, Orbis operates the Flying Eye Hospital, the world's only ophthalmic teaching center on board an MD-10 aircraft.

Dr. Danny Haddad, Chief of Program for Orbis International, who leads the organization's global blindness prevention portfolio and respective teams across the world;
Dr. Daniel Neely, Professor of Ophthalmology at Indiana University School of Medicine, a specialist pediatric ophthalmologist and long term volunteer surgeon for Orbis;
Brian Studwell, Director of Consultant Programs for Crestron Electronics, one of the companies that supports Orbis through the donation of state-of-the-art AV and automation technology; and
Corrie Pelc, Content Director of OphthalmologyWeb and OptometryWeb who will serve as moderator.

There are 285 million blind or visually impaired people in the world and four in five of them suffer from conditions that are preventable or curable. Ninety percent of these people live in low or middle-income settings, mostly in the developing world.

Orbis is working to change that. Today, Orbis facilitates a community of more than 400 medical volunteers to lead training endeavors around the world. Technology also plays a role in allowing them to reach a global audience. In addition to the Flying Eye Hospital, Orbis's online telemedicine program, Cybersight, brings medical training and consultancy to an online platform, ensuring ongoing support and mentorship.

"In 2016 alone, we have engaged people from 129 countries for our Cybersight live teaching events," said Dr. Danny Haddad, Chief of Program at Orbis. "This approach allows us to not only do more with the people we already have partnerships with—to increase the intensity and types of training we do with them—but also to make an impact in places where we could never work in person due to lack of resources, lack of stability, conflict, et cetera."

Details of the session are as follows:
Where: SXSW Conference, Room 9c, Austin Convention Center
When: 5.00-6.00 p.m., Friday, March 10 2017

Since 1987 thousands of people have convened in Austin, Texas to celebrate the convergence of interactive, film and music at SXSW. This event is recognized globally as a destination for cutting edge sessions, showcases, screenings, exhibitions and networking. Featuring a variety of conference tracks that allow attendees to explore what's next in the worlds of entertainment, culture, and technology, SXSW proves that the most unexpected discoveries happen when diverse topics and people come together.

About Orbis
Orbis is a leading global non-governmental organization that has been a pioneer in the prevention and treatment of blindness for over 30 years. Orbis transforms lives by delivering the skills, resources and knowledge needed to deliver accessible quality eye care. Working in collaboration with local partners including hospitals, universities, government agencies and ministries of health, Orbis provides hands-on ophthalmology training, strengthens healthcare infrastructure and advocates for the prioritization of eye health on public health agendas. Orbis operates the world's only Flying Eye Hospital, a fully accredited ophthalmic teaching hospital on board an MD-10 aircraft. To learn more about Orbis and to get involved, please visit Orbis.org and follow the organization's work on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

About Crestron
At Crestron we build the technology that integrates technology. Our automation and control solutions for homes and buildings let people control entire environments with the push of a button, integrating systems such as AV, lighting, shading, security, BMS and HVAC to provide greater comfort, convenience and security. All of our products are designed and built to work together as a complete system, enabling you to monitor, manage and control everything from one platform. Discover Crestron by visiting www.crestron.com.

All brand names, product names, and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Certain trademarks, registered trademarks, and trade names may be used in this document to refer to either the entities claiming the marks and names or their products. Crestron disclaims any proprietary interest in the marks and names of others. Crestron is not responsible for errors in typography or photography. ©2017 Crestron Electronics, Inc.

Media Contact

Silvana Vivas
Communications Associate
Orbis
[email protected]
646-674-5507

Louise Harris Salazar
Consultant
[email protected]
1-917-238-2322

SOURCE Orbis International