LALES Landmark Findings: ~50% of LA Latinos with Diabetes Have Diabetic Retinopathy; 75% of Latinos with Glaucoma Were Undiagnosed
Los Angeles Latino Eye Study (LALES) — landmark NEI study of 6,357 Los Angeles Latinos aged 40+ — established two staggering findings still cited 20 years later:
- ~50% of Latinos with diabetes have diabetic retinopathy, with >10% having macular edema
- 75% of Latinos with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension were UNDIAGNOSED before LALES screening.
Open-angle glaucoma prevalence ~5% overall, climbing to 15% in those in their 70s. Despite landmark NIH/NEI evidence two decades old, most CA FQHCs do not have routine glaucoma screening protocols built into primary care.
ACU + NACHC's 2025 expansion brief frames vision care AS primary care precisely to fix this. Critical for Latino-majority CA FQHCs (AltaMed, La Clínica de la Raza, Clínica Sierra Vista, Northeast Valley Health, Northeast Community Clinic).
Sources for this story
NEI / Los Angeles Latino Eye StudySources for your board packet
This story's source plus 4 related stories and their sources, ready to print for your team or board.
Free. Unlocking the packet subscribes you to Intel Brief and The Pulse. You'll be subscribed right away, with no confirmation email. Unsubscribe with one click in any issue. If you unsubscribed before, we won't re-add you. We never sell your email. You can open each source above without an email.
FQHC Talent. (2004, January 1). LALES Landmark Findings: ~50% of LA Latinos with Diabetes Have Diabetic Retinopathy; 75% of Latinos with Glaucoma Were Undiagnosed. Source: NEI / Los Angeles Latino Eye Study. Retrieved September 28, 2026, from https://www.fqhctalent.com/intel/lales-landmark-latino-eye-study-disparities
More in Patient Impact
Jul 14
Legacy Community Health Begins Taking Appointments at Its Acres Homes Clinic in Houston
Jul 1
After the Boyle Heights Warehouse Fire, LA Routes Its Emergency Health Response Through Three FQHCs, St. John's, AltaMed and Clínica Romero Staff the Mobile Clinics
Jun 23
Montana FQHC May End Seeley Lake Services, Dental Closes July 30, Nearest Alternative 60-100 Miles Away
May 19
Kheir reported 60–100 daily resource visits and a 25–30% staffing response in May