ARLINGTON, Va.—The American Diabetes Association (ADA) and Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, have announced a program to increase equitable access to eye health care in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The program is an extension of the ADA’s Health Equity Now initiative, and will focus on identifying and removing barriers to care facing Black and Hispanic/Latino communities in the D.C. region. The program will build on insights gathered from a 2023 pilot program in Birmingham, Ala., which included 85 community outreach activations and 50 educational and screening events, providing insights into barriers faced by under-resourced communities and expanding access to eye screenings and treatment to more than 4,100 community members.

In the D.C. area, the program will similarly work alongside community partners to identify and lower barriers to eye health care for people living with diabetes in the region, the ADA said.

Charles "Chuck" Henderson, the ADA's chief executive officer, said, “Regular eye screenings and treatment can prevent vision loss caused by diabetes. We're excited to partner with Genentech to bring this program to the Washington, D.C. area to support people in accessing the care they need."

Ashley Magargee, chief executive officer of Genentech, said, “We know that inequities in health outcomes and access to care are deep-rooted and must be addressed at the local level. We also recognize that it will take thoughtful collaboration and community engagement to one day eliminate these disparities. We look forward to our continued work with the ADA, and with local organizations advocating for community members, to tackle systemic barriers and improve eyecare for all patients.”

According to the ADA, diabetes-related eye disease affects nearly 8 million Americans and is the leading cause of vision loss in people 18 to 64 years old. Black, Native American/Alaska Native, Hispanic/Latino and older adults living with diabetes are at higher risk of losing their vision or going blind compared to non-Hispanic white adults. Comprehensive eye exams play a crucial role in the prevention, early detection and intervention of eye disease and vision loss caused by diabetes, yet many in these communities either don't receive or have appropriate access to eye health care.

Every year, an estimated 3,300 adults in D.C. are diagnosed with diabetes. Citywide, about 7.8 percent of the adult population has diagnosed diabetes, though prevalence rates vary greatly by neighborhood. In some wards, between 11.8 percent to 13.5 percent of residents have diagnosed diabetes.