The Doheny Eye Institutes’ Los Angeles Latino Eye Study

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a n ew w ay o f s e ei n g

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T h e L os A n g el e s L a t i n o Eye S t u dy D o h e ny Eye I n st it u t e

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I M A G E 1 1 : D e s c u b r i m e n t o | d i s c ov e r y

FREDERICO GARCÍA LORCA los ojos

In our eyes the roads are

endless…

Our eyes — remarkably complex and industrious — let us take in the whole, Technicolor world around us. The price of losing that vision is immeasurable. Now, groundbreaking research at the Doheny Eye Institute of the University of Southern California is revealing important information about vision health among the elderly that offers broad implications for society as a whole.

Todo lo toma, todo carga el lomo de la Tierra: lo que camina, lo que , lo que retoza y lo que pena; y lleva y lleva muertos…

santo

duerme

vivos

GABRIELA MISTRAL la tierra

ON HER SACRED BACK, THE EARTH HOLDS EVERYTHING, CARRIES EVERYTHING, THOSE WHO WALK, THOSE WHO SLEEP, THOSE WHO PLAY, THOSE WHO GRIEVE, AND CARRIES THE ALIVE AND THE DEAD…

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IMAGE 2: L a Mu j er | wom a n

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I M A G E 3 : I d e n t i d a d| i d e n t i t y

En los ojos se

abren infinitos senderos…

perceptions

PERCEPCIONES

People are living longer and, with proper care, living better. Essential to that objective is understanding what happens to vision as we age. Latinos — the nation’s fastest-growing ethnic group — are expected to make up one-fourth of the population by 2025. Yet, little has been known about their eye health or access to vision care. Now, the Los Angeles Latino Eye Study is closing that information gap. As the most comprehensive study to date on the causes of blindness, visual impairment and eye care access among Latinos, our research provides a clearer picture of vision disease within this vital community. In doing so, it lays a foundation for better programs, not only for people of Hispanic descent, but for all elderly.

IMAGE 4: L os Angel es | los a ngeles

OCTAVIO PAZ piedra de sol

ref lection

I travel your eyes, like the

sea…

REFLEXIÓN

Launched in 1998, the Los Angeles Latino Eye Study represents the largest-ever epidemiological study of its kind in the United States, a distinction that has earned ongoing support from the National Eye Institute of the National Institutes of Health. The study’s f irst phase involved 6,357 men and women of Mexican descent over the age of 40, living in and around La Puente, California. This suburb of Los Angeles mirrors the socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of the Latino population in California and the country.

There are countries, there are rivers, in your eyes, my homeland is in your eyes.

PABLO NERUDA bella

Hay países, hay ríos,

en tus ojos,

mi patria está en tus ojos.

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IMAGE 5: L a Cena | d i n ner

tigers drink their

dreams in those eyes.

ex ploration

EXPLORACIĂ“N

Each study participant was screened for eye disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Using one-onone interviews, we prof iled access to and attitudes toward care, along with such eye disease risk factors as weight, family history, and alcohol use. In any community-based research, communication and trust-building are critical. We conducted an active public awareness campaign and ensured that all team members involved in vision screening spoke Spanish as their primary language. As a result, more than 82 percent of eligible residents joined the study.

A total of

6,357

people pa rticipated in the study.

Voy por tus ojos como por el

agua‌

discoveries

DESCUBRIMIENTOS

The study’s f indings have far-reaching implications for community health care and public policy.

Researchers found that there are more people with eye problems among older Latinos than among older members of other ethnic groups. Cataracts rank as the most common cause of vision impairment, with diabetic retinopathy also a contributor. Diabetic retinopathy is a disease of blood vessels in the retina that can lead to vision loss and blindness if not treated in a timely manner. Another leading cause of blindness in this community is age-related macular degeneration, which Latinos experience in higher numbers than African Americans and comparable to Caucasians.

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IMAGE 6: L a Comi da | food

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IM A G E 7: E l C u r a n d e ro | h e a l e r

Los tigres beben

sueĂąo en esos ojos.

more f indings

MĂ S RESULTADOS

In an alarming note, our research exposed a large number of undiagnosed cases of diabetes, along with a lack of awareness about its link to eye disease. One in four Latino men and women in the study have diabetes. Of these, nearly one-third were unaware they had the condition. Of participants with diabetes, nearly half had diabetic retinopathy, one of the highest proportions of any group in the U.S. Latinos also were found to have a high prevalence of glaucoma, similar to that seen in African Americans and four times higher than that seen in Caucasians.

Among L atinos found to have glaucoma,

3 4 had never been diag nosed.

GABRIEL GARCĂ?A MARQUEZ ojos de perro azul

Then she

looked at me. I thought

cha nge

CAMBIO

These compelling statistics spotlight a need for culturally appropriate education programs and better access to care. Expanded awareness and screening programs for diabetes and yearly eye exams are critical for detecting problems early enough to prevent severe vision loss.

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IMAGE 8: El Est u di an t e | st udent

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IMAGE 9: L et r as | let ter s

that she was looking at me for the

the need

first time.

LA NECESIDAD

Still, more questions remain. We need to better understand the impact of attitudes and access to care on eye disease — and its impact on quality of life. Our continuing studies also focus on the relationship between visual impairment and depression, a growing concern. As Americans continue to age, we hope to devise more effective solutions for early detection of vision problems, which can lead to new ways of protecting one of our most important senses.

Entonces me

mir贸. Yo cre铆a

you ca n help

USTED PUEDE AYUDAR

We invite you to join in furthering critical research of vision-related diseases. To f ind out how you can help bring insight to this pressing issue, please contact 323.442.6453.

Dr. Rohit Varma Principal Investigator, Los Angeles Latino Eye Study Professor, Keck School of Medicine

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I M A G E 1 0 : L o s Tr a b a j o d o r e s | w o r k e r s

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I M A G E 1 1 : D e s c u b r i m e n t o | d i s c ov e r y

que me miraba por

primera vez.

doheny eye institute

INSTITUTO DEL OJO DOHENY

Investigators at the Doheny Eye Institute are committed to uncovering the causes and cures of vision disorders. Founded in 1947, this preeminent center for patient care, research and physician education is strengthened by its aff iliation with the Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California.

Heading the Los Angeles Latino Eye Study is Rohit Varma, M.D., M.P.H., Professor at the Keck School, and an expert on changes in the optic nerve in glaucoma.

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Los Angeles Latino Eye Study Doheny Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine University of Southern California 1450 San Pablo Street, Room 4707 Los Angeles, California 90033 Telephone 323.442.6453 Fax 323.442.6412

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I M A G E 1 2 : O j o s | e ye s

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11 G R A P H I C D E S I G N : Wa r r e n G r ou p | St u d i o D e lu x e

I L L U S T R AT I O N S : J o s é R a m i r e z

C O P Y : C a n dac e P e a r s o n

P R I N T I N G : L i t h o g r a p h i x , I nc .

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Los Angeles Latino Eye Study Doheny Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine University of Southern California 1450 San Pablo Street, Room 4707 Los Angeles, California 90033