<p>India has the highest level of blindness in the world with 15 million blind people, cataract being the primary cause. Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, with a combined population of 305 million, are the most affected states. Bihar, being one of the poorest Indian states, is the worst hit with 700,000 blind and 4.3 million visually impaired people(100,000 additional people become blind every year). The size of the challenge to eradicate curable blindness in Bihar is enormous as the current capacity to perform eye surgeries (approx. 141,000 p.a.) is woefully short, is not easily accessible or affordable for the poor.</p>