Shanghai plans establish a community-based glaucoma screening and patient education network by 2010, medical experts said in April at the 10th anniversary of the Shanghai Glaucoma Patient Club, the first such facility in China.

Experts said people over 40 years of age should undergo glaucoma screenings every year for early detection and treatment.

Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the world after cataracts. Estimates put the total number of suspected cases of glaucoma at about 67 million worldwide and half of the cases are in Asia. The incidence is about 1.4% of the total population in China and 2% of Shanghai residents.