Los Angeles Latino Eye Study (LALES)

The Los Angeles Latino Eye Study (LALES) is a major research project in Los Angeles County, California, designed to gain a greater understanding of the prevalence and incidence of eye disease among Latinos. Because so little is known about the visual health needs of this segment of the population, the data collected from this study will be instrumental in determining the prevalence of cataract, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy among Latinos in this community. The study will also determine the proportion of blindness and visual impairment that is caused by these diseases, and will explore the association of various risk factors, such as smoking or sun exposure with ocular disease.

The LALES is supported by the National Eye Institute and the National Center of Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD), two components of the National Institutes of Health. Other funding support was provided by Research to Prevent Blindness, Inc.

Principal Investigator
Rohit Varma, M.D., M.P.H.
Doheny Eye Institute
University of Southern California
1450 Pablo Street, Suite 4900
Los Angeles, CA 90033
rvarma@usc.edu