Ethiopia, one of the world’s poorest nations, is burdened with one of the world’s highest levels of avoidable blindness. An estimated 1.6% of the population is blind, with approximately 12% of this blindness caused by trachoma — a highly infectious eye disease that is entirely preventable. Trachoma is spread through contact with an infected person’s hands or clothing, or by flies that have come in contact with the discharge from an infected eye or nose.
When left untreated, repeated infections lead to trichiasis, an agonizing condition in which the eyelid turns inward, causing the eyelashes to painfully “rake” across the surface of the eye, scarring the cornea and eventually leading to blindness.
ORBIS has been working with the Ethiopian government and local partners to implement the World Health Organization’s SAFE strategy, an acronym for surgery, antibiotics, face washing and environmental change. This strategy includes a national effort to build latrines, educate community members on trachoma prevention, and train rural eye care workers to distribute antibiotics and perform sight-preserving eyelid surgeries. These interventions cost very little but contribute immeasurably to an individual’s quality of life.
To learn more about trachoma and view photos from a March 2008 trip to southern Ethiopia, follow this link to a soundslide. Or, click here to watch a segment from ORBIS's 2007 annual report entitled, "Uncover the Truth about Blindness in Ethiopia."
the blog is really contain a nice material and the people of that nations must follow the tips that can be used to protect themselves from this irritating problem.
this is really ridicules that no one is willing to help them out any way there must be some solution of this problem exist and i pray that the dr successfully compete this problem....
Posted by: eye surgery oakland | January 12, 2010 at 05:41 AM
Gosh! it is so shocking we really have to take care of our eyes and think this kind of eye problem really need to go to the specialists.
jayn
Posted by: laser eye correction | May 16, 2010 at 10:46 PM
Trachoma is an is an infectious eye disease, and the leading cause of the world's infectious blindness. Eyes is very important organ in our body so we need to take good care of this organ.
Posted by: good health products | November 06, 2010 at 05:15 AM