BACKGROUND AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS liii disorders of the WHO Task Force on Assessment of Avoidable Blindness took literally weeks of computer work by Jeannie Kuo and Jim Lepkowski. As part of this process, every case of blindness due to cataract, trachoma, and xerophthalmia was reviewed for consistency and simplicity of the diagnostic categories by Dr. William Hawks of the Department of Ophthalmology at The University of Michigan with assistance from Profs. William Butler, James Koop- man, Victor Hawthorne, Ira Longini, and F. DeWolfe Miller of the School of Public Health, and Prof. Paul Lichter and Dave Musch of the Department of Ophthalmology. Ken Guire, Hans Tsang, Vija Seghal, David Hinkamp, Fran Thompson, Kristi Ferguson, Vic Strecher, Godwin Okonkwo, Brackie Mitchell, Tom Midgley, and David Green also helped in the data analysis and checking process. During the write up of the final report, each chapter went through several stages from idea to computer work to final product. In addition to the group review process, which took place in Ann Arbor and Kathmandu as drafts and ideas were reviewed again and again, the following individuals took responsibility for writing chapters of the final report: Chapter 1 (James Lepkowski and Girija Brilliant); Chapter 2 (James Lepkowski, Lawrence Brilliant, and Jeannie Kuo); Chapter 3 (James Lepkowski, Lisa Schrader, and Godwin Okonkwo); Chapter 4 (Lawrence Brilliant and James Lepkowski); Chapter 5 (Lawrence Brilliant); Chapter 6 (Girija Brilliant, Lawrence Brilliant, and Ira Longini); Chapter 7 (Suzanne Gilbert, James Lepkowski, and Lawrence Brilliant); Chapter 8 (Lawrence Brilliant, Vija Seghal, and David Hinkamp); and Chapter 9 (James Lepkowski). Several articles have already appeared in various publications by members of this team. These are listed at the end of this volume. In addition, two doctoral dissertations were written on this survey: Determinants of Cataract Surgery Utilization in Nepal, by G. E. Brillant, and Trachoma in Nepal: An Investigation into Sociocultural and Individual Factors, by S. Gilbert. Brackie Mitchell and David Green proofread each draft while several people typed numerous drafts: Lisa Schrader, Karen Brackney, Lynn Diehlman, Yvonne Gillies, Kathy Metcalf, Judy Gallagher, Irma Plog, Marco Menna, and Mr. Manzil Rai. Special thanks to Lisa Schrader for preparing the graphs, figures, and maps and to David Hunsche and Mary Weed for the graphics. The late Bob Wainright provided computer digitalization of the epidemiologic maps. Sonya Kennedy and Jane Stanton of the Institute for Social Research performed the editorial and typographic alchemy that transformed our voluminous draft report into this compact volume.
