We Can Stop One of the World’s Leading Causes of Blindness by 2030

An eye disease, trachoma is one of the oldest diseases known to humankind and one of the most preventable. Caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis, trachoma often begins as a childhood illness, spreading easily from child to child, and from child to caregiver.

The disease used to exist throughout Europe and the United States, even into the 20th century. Improvements in living conditions in many parts of the world have wiped out trachoma, but 103.2 million people are still at risk. The International Trachoma Initiative (ITI) works to permanently end the unnecessary suffering and severe disability trachoma causes. Learn more about where trachoma exists, and how ITI is helping endemic communities.

Diagnosing Trachoma

After repeated trachoma infections, the inside of a person’s eyelid can become scarred and turn inward, causing the eyelashes to scrape against a person’s eye with each blink. This condition is called trichiasis, and without immediate, corrective surgery, a person with trichiasis will slowly and painfully become blind.

Normal eyelid:

  • This is the everted upper eyelid
  • Only the central area as shown is examined
  • Any signs must be clearly seen to be reported present

Trachomatous Follicular Inflammation (TF)

  • TF is 5 or more follicles in the central part of the upper tarsal conjunctiva
  • The follicles are round swellings that are pale compared to the rest of the conjunctiva
  • They must be at least 0.5 mm in diameter to be counted
  • If they are less than 5 follicles, then this is not TF and should not be graded as TF

Trachomatous intense Inflammation (TI)

  • Active disease is also seen as TI, which stands for trachomatous inflammation intense
  • There is pronounced inflammatory swelling of the tarsal conjunctiva so that more than half of the deep, normal tarsal vessels are obscured by the swelling
  • TF should also be diagnosed if 5 or more follicles are seen

Trachomatous conjunctival scarring (TS)

  • Repeated episodes of inflammation results in TS, which stands for trachoma scarring.
  • The definition is easily visible white lines, sheets or bands in the tarsal conjunctiva

If the TS is severe, it may result in trichiasis, TT.

  • At least one eyelash from the upper eyelid touches the eyeball, or evidence of recent epilation of in-turned eyelashes from the upper eyelid.

Corneal Opacity (CO):

  • If the trichiasis is not treated, it can cause corneal opacity, CO, and loss of vision
Simple strategies can prevent, and even wipe out, blindness from trachoma

Trachoma and the blindness it causes, can be prevented and treated through a series of simple interventions the World Health Organization endorses called the SAFE Strategy: Surgery, Antibiotics, Facial cleanliness and Environmental Improvements. Each of the interventions must be implemented over the long term to prevent permanent blindness and disability from trachoma. Learn how ITI and its partners implement the SAFE Strategy in the communities where we work.

SAFE

Trachoma Facts

About Trachoma

The World Health Organization categorizes trachoma as a 'neglected tropical disease,' or NTD. NTDs thrive in the southern hemisphere among communities living in extreme poverty.

The vast majority of the communities at greatest risk for trachoma live in 14 countries. Africa is the most trachoma-endemic continent.

About Trachoma

The SAFE Strategy to prevent and treat blinding trachoma addresses the broader poverty and development issues, improving quality of life for millions of people in some of the poorest countries.

Calendar showing the year 2030About Trachoma

Stopping trachoma helps communities, especially women, lift themselves out of poverty

Trachoma mainly exists in communities where extreme poverty has made it more difficult to improve environmental sanitation or to provide basic health education such as promoting hand and face washing.

People suffering from the advanced, blinding stage of trachoma experience severe pain and diminishing vision, preventing them from contributing to their families’ economic livelihood, or even taking care of themselves.

Women are twice as likely as men to go blind from repeated trachoma infections due to their role as traditional caretakers of children, who often are the primary hosts for the disease in their communities.

Tragically, in many cultures, a woman who cannot perform her household duties due to trachoma or another illness may be abandoned by her family, or an older daughter may be taken out of school to assume her mother’s responsibilities.

As a result, trachoma worsens an already challenging situation for communities living on the edge of survival, and decreases overall economic opportunities for women. Some estimates suggest trachoma can cost affected communities as much as US $2.9 billion per year in lost productivity.

You can join ITI’s efforts to defeat trachoma

There are many ways you can support our efforts to end blindness from trachoma by 2030: through helping raise awareness about trachoma within your community; by donating to the Task Force for Global Health; or as a potential employee.

About

ITI is a program of The Task Force for Global Health.

International Trachoma Initiative

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