When it comes to eye health, minorities continue to experience disparities, particularly in the realm of diabetic retinopathy, and researchers suggest health insurance–or lack thereof–is to blame.

According to recent data published in the journal Diabetes Care, over the last decade there has been little to no change in how frequently minority patients with diabetes are seeking annual eye care screenings. Since 2002 non-Hispanic whites with diabetes have consistently sought eye care more frequently than minority patients; the largest disparity was noted in 2008, with a 15 percent difference between non-Hispanic whites and minorities.