Sight test

[Buttons11]

I was due for a routine sight test and I could tell my glasses were no good as I could see just as well without them as with them.

I told the optician I had been diagnosed with diabetes last month.
"Are you on any medication?"
"Not yet as my appointment with the diabetic nurse isn't until 24th March"

She did the test and said my sight has improved dramatically, but she printed "do not dispense this prescription" on my paperwork. She said as my sugar levels come under control my sight will settle down, but until then I'm not to wear my glasses at all. I asked her about driving and she said I would be fine. She said the NHS rules say I should only have one test per year, but she has put me down for recall in 6 months, and if I feel my diabetes is under control I could come back sooner.

My fbg on diagnosis (3rd Feb but I wasn't told until 21st) was 13.1, now my readings throughout the day are usually 8 or 9, with the occasional 6 or 7, so a way to go yet.

My sight is the only symptom of diabetes I've had; no thirst, weeing, tiredness etc.

Driving without glasses after wearing them for 30 years feels a little like walking down the street naked!

 

[AM1874]

Hi @Buttons11
I'm sure that your optician has given you good advice. However, from a number of recent posts on here, and my own experiences, I'm beginning to think that if you put a Doctor, a DN, an Optician, a Dietician and any other HCP of your choice together in a boat with a pair of oars, an owl, a pussycat and plenty of honey wrapped up in a £5 note, they would go nowhere because they'd spend all their time arguing: who was going to do the rowing, who was in charge of rations, who was going to read the compass, who was going to look after the animals ... and who was boss !!

Exceptions, of course, to all those with a good diabetes team ..

 

[noblehead]

She did the test and said my sight has improved dramatically, but she printed "do not dispense this prescription" on my paperwork. She said as my sugar levels come under control my sight will settle down, but until then I'm not to wear my glasses at all.

Good advice by the Optician, if they've OK'd you to drive then you have nothing to worry about, the Diabetic Eye Screening programme is just a once a year check.

 

[Debzz_]

I was recently diagnosed and my vision has been awful ! I had an eye check two weeks ago and was advised to wait for new specs also but I chose to have them as I was struggling. If my sight improves then I will just have a retest . The optician was happy with my decision. As you have your prescription you could always go online and purchase a pair .