A recovered leper from the Yi ethnic minority undergoes operation for "hare's eye", a condition that is commonly seen in people who have suffered leprosy, in Xining village, 500 km (311 miles) south of Chengdu, the capital of China's south-central Sichuan province, October 18, 2006. The disease destroys nerves around the eye and sufferers cannot shut or blink their eyes, which will then leave them vulnerable to constant infections. The operation was carried out by doctors working for Handa, a charity group in China which takes care of people who have recovered from leprosy. Photo taken on October 18, 2006. REUTERS/Bobby Yip (CHINA)