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.
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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.
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The need

More questions remain. We need to 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 Baby Boomers age, and the ranks of older Americans increase, 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.