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Do I still need eye screening

coleyd

Well-Known Member
Messages
451
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Hi

I took myself from an hba1c of 58 to 42 in like 2 months time frame. I've lost good amount if weight too. Do people in the now pre diabetes category need to still have the eye screening appointments?

Im hoping my next hba1c in a few months will show the same or lower numbers
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Yes, you do still need the retinal eye screening tests once a year. Even if you end up in remission with low HbA1c results you will still be on the eye screening register.
 
Yes, my T2D has been marked "Resolved" but I still had my annual eye screening last week.
 
Don't take chances! Maintain the vigilance and live a good life. Never become complacent, this is where you fall into the trap.
 
Thanks everyone I will continue the eye thing. Do the opticians not check it too ?
 
coleyd said:
Thanks everyone I will continue the eye thing. Do the opticians not check it too ?
Click to expand...

Some opticians do, but the images aren't always examined as carefully as with the national screening, and some don't use the drops. You need to be sure your optician does it properly and with the right equipment. If you have the choice of the national screening then take it.
 
I have had an eye check since reducing my A1c to 38 and my retinopathy has not changed so I would agree with the above posters yes you should still have the screening done.
 
I have wondered this.
My aunt who lines in Sheffield is now classed as non t2 diabetic 2 years ago and she was taken off the annual retinal eye test
 
ally1 said:
I have wondered this.
My aunt who lines in Sheffield is now classed as non t2 diabetic 2 years ago and she was taken off the annual retinal eye test
Click to expand...
This is the information from Public Health England:-
Some people with diabetes have fallen through the net in recent years due to issues with the way patients are coded on GP practice IT systems.

Current evidence shows that all people with diabetes should be screened for diabetic retinopathy for life once there has been a definite diagnosis of diabetes, excluding gestational diabetes. New GP Read codes were introduced in 2014 to take this guidance into account.

Before 2014, many GPs used the code ‘Diabetes resolved’ for patients whose blood sugar levels normalised following treatment, such as pancreatic transplant, or intensive weight reduction. These patients were then removed from the register of people requiring annual retinal screening – even though their risk of developing diabetic retinopathy may have increased following a rapid improvement in diabetes control.

Such patients should now be classified as ‘Diabetes in remission’. This ensures they are still invited for screening.

GPs should therefore review all patients with a ‘Diabetes resolved’ Read code and amend to ‘Diabetes in remission’ as appropriate. Local diabetic eye screening programmes should review their registers to ensure that patients who should be recalled for screening are not marked as ‘no longer diabetic’ in their screening programme software systems.

Recent local programme audits have identified several patients incorrectly categorised in this way. The risk may be higher for programmes where older versions of DES software did not have suitable selection options to categorise patients.

One local audit found that 4-5% of patients who had been suspended from screening due to the category of ‘never had diabetes’ and ‘no longer diabetic’ did have diabetes and should have been invited for screening. It also found 5 patients who were not being recalled for screening because of the way they were labelled in the software after undergoing successful transplants.​


There are actually a few people who it may be appropriate to code as 'resolved', for example if someone develops diabetes during a short course of steroids and they return to normal after the course is finished.
 
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