chlamydia  An Australian research study suggests  that a strain of the sexually transmitted disease chlamydia may cause blindness.  A strain of chlamydia has long been known to cause trachoma, but scientists had previously believed the two strains to be separate.  Now, however, new research has suggested that it is possible for one strain to transform into the other, depending on genetic variations, The Daily Mail reports. Researchers found that just one or two genetic variations could cause an STD to morph into a strain associated with blindness. This suggests that the blindness strain could be transmitted sexually along with chlamydia.

Trachoma is a very painful eye disease found primarily in tropical reasons.  The disease causes the eyelid to turn inward leading to rapid, repetitive blinking.  The blinking scratches the cornea leading to loss of vision.