Beijing, China – Sep 2026 – The National Health Commission (NHC), the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (NATCM) and the National Disease Prevention and Control Administration (NDCP) have jointly issued the “Work Plan for Accelerating the Provision of High‑Quality and Efficient Eye Health Services (2026–2030)” (Guo Wei Yi Zheng Fa [2026] No. 22), a five‑year blueprint that shifts eye care from a disease‑treatment center to a health center, anchored by hard 2030 targets on cataract surgery rates, ophthalmologist density, and county‑level service capability.
Policy Milestone
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Issuing Authorities | NHC, NATCM, NDCP (joint) |
| Document | Work Plan for Accelerating High‑Quality and Efficient Eye Health Services (2026–2030) |
| Document No. | Guo Wei Yi Zheng Fa [2026] No. 22 |
| Policy Period | 2026–2030 (“15th Five‑Year Plan” window) |
| Issuance Date | Announced recently; exact date not disclosed in the interpretation |
| Guiding Approach | Prevention first, medical‑prevention integration, equal emphasis on TCM and Western medicine, multi‑disease co‑prevention and co‑management |
| Service Chain | Full‑chain prevention–screening–diagnosis–treatment–rehabilitation, covering the entire life cycle |
2030 Targets
| Indicator | Target by 2030 |
|---|---|
| Refractive Screening | Steadily rising screening rates for children aged 0–6 and primary/secondary students; stronger correction awareness among the elderly; sustained high effective refractive‑error correction coverage |
| Cataract Surgery Rate (CSR) | >4,000 per million population; effective cataract surgery coverage continuously rising |
| Workforce | >5.3 practicing (assistant) ophthalmologists per 100,000 population; expanded optometrist ranks |
| County Capability | >93% of county general hospitals with an ophthalmology (ENT‑ophthalmology) department; >95% of counties independently diagnosing and treating common eye diseases; 100% of counties able to deliver cataract surgery |
Nine Task Areas
- Risk Prevention: Control modifiable risk factors to lower eye‑disease incidence.
- Service System: Implement functional positioning of institutions and refine the prevention‑treatment service network.
- Early Detection: Strengthen early screening for eye diseases.
- Clinical Standards: Normalize diagnosis and treatment and lift overall service quality.
- Rehabilitation: Improve low‑vision rehabilitation and ophthalmic rehab capacity.
- Key Disease Management: Scientific correction of refractive errors, consolidation of cataract blindness‑elimination gains, optimized service models for diabetic retinopathy and other fundus diseases and glaucoma, and stronger prevention of other eye conditions.
- TCM Synergy: Leverage Traditional Chinese Medicine advantages and promote integrated Chinese–Western care.
- Digital & AI: Use information technology to empower eye health services with artificial intelligence.
- Talent & Science: Strengthen workforce training and scientific‑technological support.
Implementation Structure
- Lead: Health‑administration departments at all levels coordinate rollout and whole‑population, whole‑life‑cycle service management.
- TCM Departments: Promote ophthalmic TCM‑appropriate technologies and featured therapies; drive integrated prevention and treatment.
- Disease‑Control Departments: Conduct routine surveillance and intervention on myopia and other common student diseases and their risk factors.
- Provincial Execution: Provincial health authorities tailor supporting measures to local conditions and establish monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to ensure tasks land in detail.
Market Impact & Outlook
- Volume Tailwind for Ophthalmology Services: A CSR push above 4,000 per million — from an already substantial base — plus mandated county‑level cataract surgery capability signals sustained growth in surgical volumes, IOL implants, and ophthalmic equipment demand through 2030.
- Screening Economy: Rising refractive‑screening coverage for children and students institutionalizes a recurring, population‑scale screening funnel, benefiting optical chains, myopia‑control products, and vision‑care providers nationwide.
- Workforce Expansion as Capacity Unlock: The 5.3‑per‑100,000 ophthalmologist floor and optometrist build‑out address the sector’s core bottleneck, easing constraints on both public hospital eye departments and private expansion.
- AI Integration Mandate: Explicit endorsement of AI empowerment opens deployment pathways for AI‑assisted fundus screening and diagnostics — a category already piloted in China’s primary‑care network — with county‑level screening needs as the natural first market.
- Policy Continuity: Building on programs dating to the 1980s and “14th Five‑Year” gains, the plan’s multi‑department, monitored implementation framework makes target slippage visible — and sector budgeting more predictable.
Forward‑Looking Statements
This brief contains forward‑looking statements regarding implementation timelines, service‑coverage targets, workforce expansion, and technology adoption under China’s 2026–2030 Eye Health Work Plan. Actual outcomes may differ due to risks including provincial execution capacity, funding allocation, workforce training pipelines, and evolving clinical‑technology standards.-China Health Reform Pulse
Policy Source: https://www.nhc.gov.cn/yzygj/c100067/202609/13cb984a2d2f4c4383d97b78c3a2b7ea.shtml