The Onchocerciasis Control Programme in West Africa started 25 years ago with the ambitious goal of removing one of the major obstacles to development in some of the poorest countries of the world. The link between severe disability, in this case through blindness and poverty was obvious. Today we can look towards the end of onchocerciasis as a public health problem with the recent expansion of control programmes in Africa and Latin America. Trachoma and onchocerciasis are diseases occurring in particular circumstances. It was not until the late 1970s that the main, global cause of visual disability was recognized.
Cataract surgery is today the most common surgical intervention world wide.
It brings relief to many, but it is also a cause of great public health expenditure in all countries. At the same time it is one of the most challenging problems of access to services for all those in need. There has been progress in cataract surgery in recent years, both in terms both of technology, cost-effectiveness and the development of sustainable services. Still, almost 20 million visually disabled people world-wide could benefit from cataract surgery. This would dramatically improve their social and economic potential, and of course, their quality of life.