Abstract: Prevention of blindness and eye health is an important public health and social issue referred to people’s livelihood. Since new China was found, especially recent 20 years of “Vision 2020” initial implement, prevention of blindness and eye health has achieved a great of achievements. This paper is intended to briefly review the history of blindness prevention and eye health, in order for promoting the development of the universal eye health, and to accommodate the needs for establishing the power socialist country. It can be divided into several parts: before the founding of new China (before 1949), from the initial stage of the establishment of new China to the early stage of reform and opening up (1970s), the early stage of reform and opening up to the early 21st century, and the early 21st century to the present. (Ophthalmol CHN, 2020, 29: 321-325)

Key words: prevention of blindness, eye health