Low JR, Gan ATL, Fenwick EK, et al. - Researchers conducted this population-based cohort study to explore the longitudinal connections between person-level and area-level socioeconomic status (PLSES and ALSES, respectively) with diabetic retinopathy (DR) and visual impairment (VI) in Asians with diabetes mellitus (DM). Participants in the study were 468 (39.4%) Malays and 721 (60.6%) Indians with DM, with a mean age (SD) of 58.9 (9.1) years; 50.6% were female and the mean follow-up duration was 6.2 (0.9) years. Using questionnaires, individual PLSES parameters (education, monthly income and housing type) were quantified. The authors discovered that both PLSES and ALSES variables were independently linked to DR incidence, progression and related vision loss in Asians. New intervention strategies aimed at low socio-economic status communities to reduce DR and VI rates are warranted.