ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.—Latinos En Optometry (LEO), a non-profit corporation with the goals of supporting Latino optometry students, providing resources and communications for Latinos in optometry as well as to the eyecare community who serve the Latino community, is looking to expand membership, sponsorship, events and engagement in the year ahead, according to the group. Diana Canto-Sims, OD, CEO and founder of La Vida Eyewear and co-owner of Buena Vista Optical in Chicago, and Lawrence Chavez, founder and CEO of EveryDay Contacts, Inc., founded Latinos En Optometry in 2021 to also be a conduit between the Latino community and the eyecare industry and to provide continuing education to all of optometry.

“We are excited to begin building Latinos En Optometry and sharing the resources and connections that will help better address the eyecare needs of the Latino community and especially the doctors who serve the Latino community,” said Chavez. “We are committed to creating generational change to better serve the needs of Latinos now and 20 years from now.”

According to the National Eye Institute, the Latino population has some of the highest rates of vision loss and blindness caused by eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma. This represents an ever-increasing need for Latino doctors of optometry, opticians other eyecare professionals and products that specifically address the needs of the Latino community, according to LEO executives.

“LEO will be a vibrant, engaging, growing organization to support you as you develop your optometric practice, your career, your life. We are planning our 2023 events now and are open to ideas that will support, develop, and serve our membership, the Latino community and the eyecare industry,” said Canto-Sims. “We are planning an introductory event at Vision Expo East in March and hope you will join us.”

Along with Chavez and Canto-Sims, the board of Latinos En Optometry includes Howard Purcell, OD, president and CEO of the New England College of Optometry; Hector Santiago, OD, PhD, professor and director of research activities at Inter American University of Puerto Rico School of Optometry; Glenda Aleman-Moheeputh, OD, founder and CEO of OK Love Myopia Control Experts; Karen Carrasquillo, OD, PhD, senior vice president clinical and professional affairs at BostonSight; and Diana Shechtman, OD, fellow at the American Academy of Optometry and Optometric Retinal Society.

Different membership levels are available and membership is open to anyone. Sponsorships are also available.