Trachoma is the leading infectious cause of blindness worldwide. It is caused by a bacterium called Chlamydia trachomatis and is one of the known Neglected Tropical Disease (NTDs). The infection is transmitted by direct or indirect transfer of eye and nose discharges of infected people, particularly young children who harbour the principal reservoir of infection. These discharges can be spread by infected flies, hands, clothes or bedding that have been in contact with an infected person. It thrives in impoverished communities where hygiene is inadequate, crowded households, inadequate access to water, inadequate access to and use of sanitation. The most common symptoms of one suffering from Trachoma include Mild itching and irritation of the eyes and eyelids, Eye discharge, Eye pain, Eye redness etc.

After years of repeated infection, the inside of the eyelid becomes so severely scarred (trachomatous conjunctival scarring) that it turns inwards and causes the eyelashes to rub against the eyeball (trachomatous trichiasis), resulting in constant pain and light intolerance; this and other alterations of the eye can lead to scarring of the cornea. Left untreated, this condition leads to the formation of irreversible opacities, with resulting visual impairment or blindness.

Visual impairment or blindness results in a worsening of the life experience of affected individuals and their families, who are normally already amongst the poorest of the poor. Women are blinded up to 4 times as often as men, probably due to their close contact with infected children and their resulting greater frequency of infection episodes.