FRIDAY, Aug. 13, 2004 (HealthDay News) -- Latinos suffer from eye disease more than other ethnic group, new research shows, but many have no clue about their condition.
Although the study sheds light on the scope of the problem, experts say they remain in the dark as to why it is so widespread and so often untreated.
The findings, presented in the August issue of Ophthalmology, were based on the results of the Los Angeles Latino Eye Study, the largest, most comprehensive study of Latinos and visual impairment ever conducted in the United States.
The results surprised even the researchers.
"Such a high burden of eye disease -- some of the highest of any ethnic group -- was unexpected," said study author Dr. Rohit Varma, an associate professor of ophthalmology and preventive medicine at the Doheny Eye Institute at the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine.
Also surprising was the number of Latinos who did not know they had eye disease. "This group has a high rate of visual impairment, but most were not aware," said Natalie Kurinij, program director at the National Eye Institute. Kurinij said many things may contribute to under-diagnosis, including access to health care, availability of health services and demographic issues, factors that warrant further study.
Varma and his colleagues examined more than 6,000 Latinos over the age of 40 residing in Los Angeles County. Participants had eye exams and were screened for overall health issues. Though researchers uncovered the scope of Latino eye disease, factors affecting risk were not examined.
Among the findings of the five-year study:
- The prevalence of open-angle glaucoma, a leading cause of eye disease in the United States, was as pronounced as it is among blacks, approximately 5 percent. More than 75 percent of Latinos diagnosed with open-angle glaucoma did not know they had the disease. Varma speculates that better health education may improve statistics. "Glaucoma is usually diagnosed by getting an eye examination. There are usually no symptoms of open-angle glaucoma until late in the course of the disease," he explained. "There may be a lack of knowledge about eye disease and the importance of getting regular eye exams."
- Almost one of every four Latinos has diabetes. Though no definitive study has been done on why Latinos are predisposed to diabetes, it is thought that genetics, diet and lifestyle may all play a part. "There's a lot of unknowns about the Latino population," said Yanira Cruz, chair of the Hispanic Latino Working Group of the National Diabetes Education Program and executive director for the Hispanic-Serving Health Professions Schools. "We need to do more studies to understand the connection between genetics and diabetes, and between acculturation and diabetes."
- Fifty percent of the study participants with diabetes had diabetic retinopathy, a treatable condition in which blood vessels grow in the eye then leak into the retina, sometimes causing blindness. Many who were diagnosed were unaware they had either disease. "Certainly, lack of health care, insurance, and inadequate access to care are important contributors," Varma said.
- Latinos in the study were found to have high rates of early age-related macular degeneration, a condition that blurs the center of vision and can also lead to blindness. One in five Latinos had cataracts; half of those with more than one cataract was visually impaired.
U.S. Census estimates show that the Hispanic population, which more than doubled between 1990 and 2000, is now the nation's largest ethnic minority group. The Latino population is also young, with its average age at about 26 years, almost 10 years younger than the average age of the general population. This youthfulness is significant, Varma contended.
"As the Latino population ages, we are going to see even more eye disease," he said. "This study serves as a warning bell to those providing eye care that additional resources need to be directed towards preventing and treating eye disease in Latinos."
The study was funded by the National Eye Institute and the National Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities, part of the National Institute of Health, with additional support from Research to Prevent Blindness.
More information
The National Eye Institute offers this quiz on your eye health. It's also available in Spanish.
