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June 6 marked the 30th National Sight Day in China, a moment of national reflection and collective action on eye health. This year’s theme, “Universal Eye Health”, resonates strongly with IAPB’s mission and global efforts to integrate eye care into Universal Health Coverage.
China is home to the world’s largest population of people living with diabetes. According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), more than 140 million adults in China were living with diabetes in 2021, a number projected to grow significantly in the coming decades. As this burden rises, so too does the risk of diabetic eye disease, a leading cause of vision loss among working-age adults.
Diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular oedema are already one of the most common causes of irreversible vision impairment globally, and the only major cause of blindness that has increased in age-standardised prevalence over the last 30 years. In China, evidence points to a growing prevalence of diabetic eye disease among people with diabetes, many of whom are unaware of the condition until their vision is already compromised.
To support national efforts to confront this growing challenge, IAPB will soon launch the Chinese version of our joint policy brief with the IDF: Diabetic Retinopathy: A Call for Global Action. This timely resource lays out a roadmap for integrated action, with recommendations to:
The brief also highlights powerful lived experiences, stories of individuals whose lives have been altered by vision loss due to diabetic retinopathy, and whose journeys illuminate gaps in awareness, access, and coordinated care.
With this year’s China Sight Day focusing on universal eye health, the launch of the Chinese version of this policy brief couldn’t be more relevant. It aligns closely with the country’s policy priorities, recognising that protecting vision is integral to achieving health equity and supporting healthy ageing in a rapidly changing society.
China has made significant strides in expanding access to cataract surgery and school-based myopia screening. Now, with the number of people living with diabetes increasing, there is an urgent opportunity to embed detection and treatment of diabetic eye disease within broader NCD programmes.
The upcoming launch of the Chinese-language policy brief comes at a moment of global momentum. As we look ahead to the Global Summit for Eye Health, we are seeing a renewed push to integrate eye health within broader health, development, and economic planning. The Summit’s Policy Framework highlights diabetes and other non-communicable diseases as cross-cutting priorities that require integrated, life-course approaches to care.
IAPB remains committed to working alongside partners in China and globally to ensure that no one loses their sight from a preventable cause like diabetic eye disease. We hope the upcoming release of the Chinese-language policy brief will strengthen ongoing efforts, spark new collaborations, and provide health leaders, advocates, and professionals with the tools they need to drive forward change.
To mark this 30th National Sight Day, we celebrate China’s commitment to eye health and recommit ourselves to ensuring that all people with diabetes have access to the eye care they need.
