BEIJING, Aug. 25 (Xinhua) -- A project launched by a fund under the China Social Welfare Foundation has screened more than 30,000 old people for cataracts free of charge and funded surgeries for 780 cataract patients.

From March 2018 to July 2019, the project allocated more than 1.04 million yuan (147,000 U.S. dollars) for cataract surgeries, said Zhang Qianshun, deputy executive director with the project.

"More than 60 percent of people above the age of 60 will suffer from cataracts, while 10 to 20 percent need surgery," Zhang said.

Cataract surgery is not new in China, but many old people have safety concerns and some mistake cataracts for presbyopia, Zhang said, noting that the project aims to promote knowledge about cataracts among the public and conduct free screening and treatment for impoverished patients.

The project currently focuses on the elderly in Beijing and will expand to other provinces in the future.?