AIM:To investigate the prevalence of blindness and low vision,leading cause of blindness among adults aged ≥50 years in Sanya outskirts of Hainan,China. ·METHODS:Random sampling analysis was performed in 2 569 individuals chosen as the sample aged ≥50 years in 28 villages of Sanya. Corrected vision,external eye,anterior chamber,lens,vitreous,fundus were examined by ophthalmologists. The prevalence of blindness and low vision was calculated,and the main cause of blind-ness was analyzed. ·RESULTS:Totally 2206 individuals among 2569 were examined. The response rate was 85.87%,the prevalence of blindness was 1.90% and the prevalence of low vision was 3.85%,resulting chiefly from cataract,glaucoma,keratitis,eyelid disease and pterygium. ·CONCLUSION:The epidemiological results show that the main cause of blindness and low vision is cataract. But the other causes of blindness such as eyelid disease and pterygium can not be neglected.