Staimez LR, Rhee MK, Deng Y, et al. - Researchers conducted this retrospective cohort study to explore the correlation of HbA_1c and glucose levels with incident diabetic retinopathy according to black African or white European ancestry. The sample consisted of 202,500 US Veterans with diabetes (2000–2014), measures included HbA_1c, outpatient random serum/plasma glucose, and incident retinopathy [conversion from negative to ≥ 2 positive evaluations (ICD‐9 codes), without a subsequent negative]. According to results, HbA_1c was 0.3% higher in black compared with white people, adjusting for baseline age, gender, BMI, eGFR, haemoglobin, and average systolic blood pressure and glucose. In individuals with black vs white ancestry, but with similar baseline glucose levels, the population incidence of retinopathy was correlated with higher mean baseline HbA_1c. Because retinopathy occurs for a given level of average plasma glucose in black people at higher HbA_1c levels, strategies may be required to individualize the interpretation of HbA_1c measurements.