Five hundred cataract patients in bad financial conditions have undergone free operations by May 29 this year thanks to a charity project in North China's Shanxi Province, reports local media.

Launched by the Shanxi Foundation for the Disabled, the "Philanthropic Project of Bringing Light" is specially designed for poor cataract patients.

Since 2010, the project has benefited 1,300 patients in Datong, Shuozhou and Xinzhou of Shanxi province.

The project plans to perform 1000 free operation for patients in Taiyuan, Jinzhong and Lvliang this year in Shanxi Recovery Research Center and Taiyuan Aier Ophthalmology Hospital.

Poor cataract patients could sign up for operations at local federations for the disabled.

Besides surgeries, the Shanxi Recovery Research Center and Taiyuan Aier Ophthalmology Hospital will?carry out free cataract screening in the rural area.