Trachomatis trichiasis is the leading infectious cause of blindness worldwide. It is an ocular condition that dates back to ancient times, with evidence of the disease recorded as early as the 27th century BC. Once endemic in many parts of the world, including the United States and Europe, the disease is now concentrated primarily in sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and pockets of Asia and Latin America. As recently as the early 1900s, immigrants coming to the United States were screened for trachoma and were not allowed to enter the country if they had signs of active disease. In England, the Moorefields Eye Hospital was founded primarily on the grounds of treating trachoma patients. Current estimates suggest that 1.3 million people are irreversibly blind from trachoma. In parts of Africa, 50% to 60% of preschool-aged children show signs of active trachoma and approximately 10% of adults suffer from the blinding sequelae, trichiasis. With improvements in living conditions, trachoma has disappeared from much of the developed world; however, many parts of the world still suffer from this blinding disease. Within these populations, the poorest of the poor are the ones most often affected. Lack of access to clean water, poor hygiene conditions, and crowding are all factors that contribute to the high prevalence of trachoma and trichiasis in rural areas of developing countries. Until the last decade, trichiasis was the second leading cause of blindness in the world. Yet, in many parts of the developed world, a large majority of individuals have never even heard of the disease. Awareness of this disease, and the burden that it creates on society, is typically limited to those who live in the afflicted areas, healthcare professionals, and to the relatively small community of researchers who study it. History has shown us that this disease can be eliminated, and that it ‘‘simply’’ requires improvements in living conditions. Yet, in many parts of the world, there is little evidence that suggests substantial