Through the discharge from the eyes of an infected child, trachoma is passed to others by hands, on clothing, or by flies that are attracted to faces and runny noses. Without adequate treatment, the inner eyelid becomes scarred. After repeated infection and scarring, the eyelid will turn inward, causing the eyelashes to rub against and damage the cornea, which leads to blindness. Blindness occurs only after multiple infections, usually when individuals are in their 40s or 50s. Because the disease causes blindness in the most productive years of a person's life, trachoma can ruin the economic well-being of entire families and communities.
Women are two to three times more likely than men to be blinded by trachoma.
A woman who becomes visually impaired due to the disease can no longer perform life-sustaining activities for her household, such as gathering firewood and cooking. To fill this gap, an older daughter may be pulled from school to assume these responsibilities, forgoing her opportunity to break the cycle of poverty with a formal education. The overall vulnerability to the disease and its effects is passed from one generation to another. ITI trachoma control programs are also underway in Mali and Vietnam, and another is planned to begin early next year in Ghana. This program will ultimately administer Zithromax to 350,000 people living in 13 districts, reaching a combined population of 1.8 million.