Michael Vrabec has spent decades doing corneal transplants in his Appleton office, but it’s the ones he does as part of a traveling eye hospital that have proven most memorable. He recently spent two weeks in Cambodia, where he performed the country’s first transplant on a 32-year-old rice farmer.
Photo/Kristyna Wentz-GraffORBIS volunteer Dr. Michael Vrabec, assistant clinical professor at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine, hand carried three donated corneas from Wisconsin to Cambodia, and prepares to board the ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, December 11, 2007. The corneas were donated by Lions Eye Bank of Wisconsin. The ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital Program provided intensive ophthalmic training for 52 ophthalmologists and eye doctors in Cambodia as well as participants from Myanmar and Laos.
Photo/Kristyna Wentz-GraffORBIS volunteer Dr. Michael Vrabec, assistant clinical professor at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine, discusses a corneal transplant option with trainees at the Preah Ang Duong Hospital, December 11, 2007. Dr. Vrabec volunteered with ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital Program that went to Cambodia at the invitation of the Cambodian Ministry of Health, for intensive ophthalmic training for 52 ophthalmologists and eye doctors in Cambodia as well as participants from Myanmar and Laos. ORBIS is a non-profit group dedicated to helping fight blindness around the world.
Photo/Kristyna Wentz-GraffDr. Michael Vrabek and the trainees take a first look at Sry Loy's cornea, during a post-op exam at Preah Ang Duong Hospital, December 12, 2007. Loy received a new cornea the day before. His cornea is still tinted green from the fluorescent stain used during the operation. Loy, 32, is a rice farmer who has been bilaterally blind for the past 10 years. He traveled 12 hours to Phnom Penh, in hopes that ORBIS could restore some of his sight. Loy was the recipient of a cornea donated by the Lions Eye Bank of Wisconsin, and had the first corneal transplant performed in the country.
Photo/Kristyna Wentz-GraffBunly Chhreng, 20, thanks ORBIS volunteer Dr. Michael Vrabek, as the doctor lets him know that Bunthoeuom Song's corneal transplant went well at Preah Ang Duong Hospital, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, December 12, 2007.
Photo/Kristyna Wentz-GraffThol Ram, left, watches her mother Thou Hem, center, during her post-op exam aboard the ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, December 13, 2007. Translator Kaknika Kosal, right, assists. Mrs. Hem was treated for glaucoma by Dr. Ralph Sanchez, of Glaucoma Consultants of the Capital Region in Voorheesville, NY.
Photo/Kristyna Wentz-GraffORBIS's Troy Ingham, RN, climbs through the floor of the recovery room, bringing up supplies from the storage area as patient Yeth Oen awaits surgery aboard the ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, December 13, 2007. A trainee, left, observes. ORBIS is a non-profit group dedicated to helping fight blindness around the world
Photo/Kristyna Wentz-GraffORBIS volunteer Dr. Michael Vrabek, left, performs a corneal transplant on patient Sokin Von, left, as trainees watch a monitor showing the procedure, right, aboard the ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, December 11, 2007. Dr. Vrabec is the assistant clinical professor at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine in Madison, WI
Photo/Kristyna Wentz-GraffAs volunteer anesthesiologist Dr. Artem Grush wheels Line Chea, 5, into the operation room for her surgery, she turns back and cries for her mother, aboard the ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, December 11, 2007. Line was the first surgery performed for the 100th trip of the FEH, and the first of the program in Cambodia. ORBIS volunteer Dr. Robert Kersten, associate professor at the University of Cincinnati, performed a levator resection for Line's left eyelid.
Photo/Kristyna Wentz-GraffVolunteer RN Pamela Schultz of Chicago comforts Sok Kim, mother of Line Chea, 5, who became emotional with concern after her daughter was taken into the operation room for her surgery aboard the ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, December 11, 2007. Line was the first surgery performed for the 100th trip of the FEH, and the first of the program in Cambodia. ORBIS volunteer Dr. Robert Kersten, associate professor at the University of Cincinnati, performed a levator resection for Line's left eyelid.
Photo/Kristyna Wentz-GraffBunthoeuom Song, 23, waits alone in a stairwell for his surgery to begin, at Preah Ang Duong Hospital, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, December 12, 2007, for his corneal transplant. Mr. Song did not inform his family of his upcoming surgery because they live far away and have little money, and he didn't want them to tax themselves trying to make the long journey to be with him during his surgery.
Photo/Kristyna Wentz-GraffThe halls of Preah Ang Duong Hospital in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, were filled with people hoping that ORBIS would be able to help them or their family members with eye health problems, December 10, 2007. ORBIS International brought its world renown programs to Cambodia at the invitation of the Cambodia Ministry of Health. The ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital was stationed at the airport, and volunteers also worked with trainees at the local facility.
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