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Diabetic eye test at Boots

B

Big_Col

Well-Known Member
Messages
61
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Went along to my local Boots last week where I've had my eye test done for years.

When trying to book the appointment was told that they weren't allowed to do them anymore.

Is my local Boots been up to no good or is Boots withdrawing from the market?
 
Big_Col said:
Is my local Boots been up to no good or is Boots withdrawing from the market?
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It's strange to me that a chemist shop should be doing diabetic eye tests in the first place. I hope the staff doing them were trained optometrists.
 
Boots have an ophthalmic department, just had my yearly letter reminding me to book in for an eye test. For yearly retinal screening I go to the hospital. But basic eye tests Boots.
 
I don't go to the opticians for a "diabetic" eye test. I go for an eye test and just happen to have diabetes... I usually go to Specsavers and they are VERY thorough.
 
I have my annual diabetic eye examination at my local hospital diabetic clinic but always had a yearly eye test at my opticians. However, last year they told me that due to NHS cutbacks, they would be calling me in for my free eye test in two years time rather than the usual one year,
 
mahola said:
I don't go to the opticians for a "diabetic" eye test. I go for an eye test and just happen to have diabetes... I usually go to Specsavers and they are VERY thorough.
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Mahola, I fully understand what you are saying but the tests they do if you have diabetes is far more thorough than an eye test for someone without diabetes. So in this case, in my view I am happy to call it a diabetic eye test as it's specific to diabetes. I had to change from Vision express because they said they didn't do 'diabetic specific tests' so I had to find someone who did.
 
Whereabouts in the country are you? Sometimes a local Diabetic Eye Screening Programme will commission local optometrists such as Boots to take their eye screening photos for them. However, the Screening Programme could change their policy and start employing their own photographers to take the photos instead of optometrists. In that case, the optometrists would not be able to participate in that service any longer.

Obviously, Boots should still be able to offer a normal sight-test every 2 years. It is important that people with diabetes attend BOTH the diabetic eye screening test and their normal sight test. The two tests are complementary and one cannot substitute for the other.
 
I used to go to my local Specsavers for my diabetic eye tests and scans.

Now we all have to troop into the middle of the county to get them done. It’s a time saving exercise, unfortunately it’s not my time that’s being saved.
 
Just to point out we are eligible for a free eye test once a year. Quite separate to the retinal screening.
 
I've just switched my annual eye test (optometrist) to be six months before/after my annual diabetic eye screening so that I get my eyes checked every six months.
 
Doesn't everyone? 1 year ago. It's a yearly thing.
 
Big_Col said:
Doesn't everyone? 1 year ago. It's a yearly thing.
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My optometrist phones me up to make an appointment every year, usually in May, to see what time slots are available.
 
Big_Col said:
Doesn't everyone? 1 year ago. It's a yearly thing.
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Presumably your recent invitation told you where to go for the screening? If they said you could get it done at Boots, you need to speak with the eye screening programme, tell them that Boots no longer offers the service and ask where you can go for your screening. Or are you talking about a normal sight test? If so, the title of the thread, 'Diabetic eye test', may have led to some confusion.
 
becca59 said:
Just to point out we are eligible for a free eye test once a year. Quite separate to the retinal screening.
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I also have the annual retinal screening taken at the hospital, but upon having my free eye test at my opticians last year, was told that due to NHS cutbacks eye sight tests were now done biannually.
 
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