Type 1: Eye test

becca59

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,856
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
So at my eye test appointment yesterday, the optician, on finding out I had type 1 come on later in life, wanted to know if I had eaten a lot of sugar. His knowledge of the condition was seriously worrying in view of his training.
 

Jaylee

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
18,213
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi,

To be frank? (& assuming it was a retinopathy scan.)
The job is a "technician" to scan the eyes, thus looking for any anomalies associated with diabetes complications..
They primarily work the scanners & take photos of the retina.. Apart from that. They don't need to be an expert on anything other than the job they have in hand...

Lol, an expert studies the scan results.. ;)
 

Jaylee

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
18,213
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
No it was an optician testing my eyes.

Trust me. The same applies at "Specsavers"... They only know so much.. Unless in this case, has first hand experience with diabetes...?!
Even a car dealership mechanic only knows what they know about the certain "make" of car they deal with.. They go on "refresher courses" when a new model comes out & work to a "flow chart".
 

Jaylee

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
18,213
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Did you correct him @becca59?

I think I would have!

Agreed! Put em **** straight...

What I'm trying to say @becca59 is this "professional" fell into a job with an aptitude for "customer service". Lol, in this case the individual overstepped the "mark" uncovering ignorance. & failed. ;)
 

becca59

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,856
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Certainly did. The irony was I had changed my optician after diagnosis, as my original optician failed to recognise I had diabetes when I went with problems with my eye sight. I think, as they mention their ability (hopefully) to recognise signs of diabetes as part of an eye test, there knowledge should be better.
 
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marktype1

Well-Known Member
Messages
75
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Bad blood sugars, not being able to eat chocolate fudge cake.
My optician gave me a grilling about my HBA1c result once after asking me what they were. It was a good HBA1c result and she made out it was dreadful so clearly didnt have a clue but I was also wondering why she felt the need to comment on anything other than my 'routine eye test'. LOL!
 

fletchweb

Well-Known Member
Messages
408
Type of diabetes
Prefer not to say
Treatment type
Other
I didn't think opticians had much medical training. In fact I've never seen one in the 50 years I've been living with type 1. In my neck of woods people with diabetes see an ophthalmologist. I wouldn't bother with an optician unless I thought I needed glasses.
 

Bluemarine Josephine

Well-Known Member
Messages
259
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I know I will sound like a horrible person… I know I will…
I do apologize in advance for what I am about to say…

I no longer have the energy for meaningless discussions regarding my condition… forced interactions through stupid questions imposed to me… which lead to unnecessary conversations…

If me and the other (non diabetic) person don’t vibrate on the same frequency, there’s just no reason for us to waste our time.

I’d rather talk to no one about it and wait for substance than to not feel someone and fake the small talk…

Regards
Josephine
 

Engineer88

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,130
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
I wouldnt assume an optition had any experience of diabeytes or knowlege other than about the eye and very limited knowlege at that! its ab bit like seeing a GP, they may or may not have an interest but I generally regard them as having no knowledge unless they prove to me otherwise.
Yes my optition knows im D but thats it.