Causes of blindness
Cataract
You may know someone who has had cataracts – as it is quite common in this country for people who are quite old. A cataract is when the eye’s lens gets cloudy and stops letting light into the eye.
Childhood blindness
In the countries in which we work, children as well as adults can be affected by cataracts. But the main cause for children going blind is a poor diet.
River blindness
125 million people in Africa are at risk from river blindness. It is spread by the black fly which breeds by the rivers people rely on to drink, wash themselves with, and fish from.
Trachoma
Trachoma mainly affects poor women and children who live in hot, dry and dusty places. If they don’t get treatment their eye lashes start to turn inwards and scratch the eye ball.





