Cataract is the developing world's leading cause of blindness. It is estimated that 18 million people suffer from cataract blindness around the world. Cataract blindness is curable, and The World Health Organisation is comitted to the goal of eradicating curable blindness worldwide by the year 2020.

The Akhand Jyoti Eye Hospital (AJEH) akhandjyoti.in/, in Bihar perform free cataract surgery on over 100 blind patients every day. This extraordinary hospital, with the support of donor organisations including The Savitri Waney Charitable Trust savitri.org.uk/, work tirelessly, in almost impossible conditions, to cure the backlog of over half a million cataract blind people in Bihar.

India is home to more than half of the world's cataract blind. The poorest and neglected north eastern states have an unequal share of this burden. Bihar is one of the worst affected places in the world for cataract blindness. If AJEH are to be successful in playing their part in eradicating curable blindness in Bihar then this is a race against time.

Curing blindness is one of the most cost effective health interventions known to mankind.

For more of my work and the photographs from the series please visit sophiegerrard.com/SophieStoriesblind01a.html