Last year we carried out nearly 10,000 trichiasis surgeries
Don't Blink
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| Facial hygeine is often difficult to maintain when water is scarce © Sightsavers |
Not easy, is it?
Yet 5 million people in Africa are trying to do just that, because every blink brings agony and leads to blindness.
The condition is called trichiasis, which is when the eyelid turns inwards and the eyelashes rub on the eyeball, causing scarring, constant irritation, terrible pain and eventually blindness.
It's a result of repeated infections of trachoma, caused by a micro-organism, Chlamydia trachomatis. Trachoma is spread through flies and by cross infection, such as through unclean fingers and towels.
It's a disease of poverty, affecting primarily women and children in hot, dry and dusty areas where there is poor availability of water and sanitation, and limited access to hospitals and medical care.
It is treatable, with a simple operation which costs just £5.
There is an estimated backlog of 9 million trichiasis surgeries worldwide, of which 5 million are in Africa. These are people are in pain and are at real risk of going blind if we don't act now.
We need your help now to reduce the backlog before it's too late.
Just £5 could save one person's sight and stop the pain.
Why not try to take the 'don't blink' challenge?
Unified Solutions.