Photo: Christopher Teng
When Christopher Teng, MD, MBA, chair and professor of ophthalmology & visual sciences at UMass Chan Medical School, traveled to Nepal in December, he was returning to a place that helped shape his career and worldview.
From Dec. 5 to14, Dr. Teng joined a team of international physicians on a comprehensive surgical outreach and training project organized by Operation Restore Sight and Dooley Intermed International, one of the U.S.’s oldest humanitarian organizations working in Nepal. It was Teng’s sixth trip to the country and his first since joining UMass Chan a year ago.
The project took place across two sites within the Reiyukai Eiko Masunaga Eye Hospital (REMEH) system, which serves thousands of patients from Nepal and northern India and frequently hosts free “cataract camps” for underserved communities.
While REMEH’s ophthalmologists are highly skilled in cataract surgery and general eye care, opportunities for advanced surgical training remain limited.
“One of their doctors has been learning surgery from YouTube videos,” Teng said. “The need for higher level, hands-on training is immense.”
The visiting team was uniquely equipped to meet that need. Dooley Intermed brings together world-class experts in retina, glaucoma, complex cataract, cornea, uveitis, oculoplastics, pediatrics and strabismus. One focus of their outreach model is on performing complex procedures while teaching local doctors how to perform them independently.
On a prior mission to Nepal, the team coached REMEH physicians through the hospital’s first corneal transplants and glaucoma tube shunt surgeries, expanding the scope of care available to patients in the region.
The 2025 program included clinic evaluations, consultations, surgical days and formal “knowledge exchange” sessions with REMEH ophthalmologists.
“All treatments and surgeries on this mission were provided at no cost to patients,” said Teng.
The team spent three days examining patients and performing surgeries, including retina detachment repair, secondary intraocular lens insertion, small incision cataract surgery, glaucoma tube implant and trabeculotomy.
“We coach the local doctors and they do as much as they are comfortable doing,” Teng said. “Our role is to guide, teach and step in only when needed. The goal is for REMEH physicians to continue to provide these sight-saving surgeries long after we leave.”
This year’s itinerary included a unique opportunity: a meeting with the president of Nepal, the Honorable Ramchandra Paudel, and local officials and mayors representing 15 surrounding districts. These high-level introductions served as opportunities to promote health care and advocate for future projects.
“Meeting with the president was a tremendous honor and validated the importance of this work on behalf of the Nepali people,” Teng said.
For Teng, the mission aligns seamlessly with the values that drew him to UMass Chan.
“This project reflects UMass Chan’s commitment to health equity, education and service,” he said. “It’s about community building—locally and internationally. The services we provide were invaluable to the patients and ophthalmologists in Nepal, and that perfectly reflects our institution’s commitment to excellence, outreach and outstanding patient care.”
