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Does the optician need to know that we are diabetic?

Ambersilva

Well-Known Member
Messages
715
Location
UK
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I attend annual retinal screening appointments and the written reports confirm that there are no issues with my eyes.

I also have annual eye tests with an optical shop that I have attended for over a decade. I received fantastic advice from the regular optician when I experienced changes to my vision due to the sudden onset of diabetes and the administration of insulin.

However, at the last eye test carried out one week after the retinal screening, a new optician at the usual shop examined my eyes. The optician said she could see 'hard exudates' and declared that they were caused by diabetes. She gave no advice, recommendations or prognosis. I wondered why she found it necessary to mention 'hard exudates' when the retinal screening clinic found nothing to comment about one week earlier. I left the shop worrying about imminent deterioration in my vision.

My question is, do we actually have to inform the optician who conducts a vision test that we are diabetic? I am thinking about booking an appointment with another optician that I know but they do not know that I am diabetic.
 
I am sure my eyes are not quite right. But as my doctor has pronounced me cured I am not sure what to do. As far as I can remember, when I have had eye tests they have asked if I am diabetic.
 
When I had my eyes tested recently at the optician, she read a checklist and one of the question was, "Do you have diabetes?"
 
I can't advise because, like you, I feel a bit confused about where the role of the optician and the role of the ophthalmologist seem to overlap. I do have some retinal damage and have had regular appointments at the hospital including laser treatment on at least 2 occasions.

I've had good eyesight and only recently needed to start wearing glasses for reading. The ophthalmologist is not interested in my eyesight in those terms, it's the optician who tests my eyesight and prescribes my glasses.

I think the optician needs to know about our diabetes, because diabetes can have temporary effects on eyesight which might affect a prescription or course of action.

I feel lucky in my optician because she is very knowledgeable about diabetes and has state of the art equipment too. I'm also lucky in the expertise of the ophthalmologist in treating my exudates, and she was very kind to me when I had to have my first lot of laser treatment.

I hope someone comes along here who can give us both more info about the roles of hospital and optician in diabetes.
 
this is too difficult said:
I am sure my eyes are not quite right. But as my doctor has pronounced me cured I am not sure what to do. As far as I can remember, when I have had eye tests they have asked if I am diabetic.
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Get tested as often as you can at the optician anyway. The tests are free for you so fill your boots. Or if you are worried go back to your doc for a referral to the eye clinic.

Hope you and op are ok
 
You get two tests at the optician, one is an eye test, and the other is a screening, where they take a photo of both of your eyes, they look for degeneration of the small blood vessels in your eyes. Further details consult your optician.

Don't like the eye screening, makes my eyes sting for hours after!
 
I have my eyes tested for glasses at the same optician that does the retinal screening to avoid any confusion. Cannot see the point of splitting this function.

jim
 
jim1951 said:
I have my eyes tested for glasses at the same optician that does the retinal screening to avoid any confusion. Cannot see the point of splitting this function.

jim
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And me

And it's free

Yippee!
 
The only thing I ever worry about is failing test in someway and losing my licence to drive!! Although we intentionally bought our current house bearing that thought in mind.. Ir near bus stop, walking distance to shops, younger people as neighbours etc...

I have had background retinopathy which disappeared after my swings in levels all came down pretty much to under a 3 differential from 5.0 on bg meter. However, every sight test and retinopathy screening puts the fear if god in to me!!




Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
I can see no reason at all not to inform optician or other people involved with eyes or any part of my body including teeth about my diabetes, quite the contrary. And if anyone of them tell me something I don't like or don't understand I ask for clarification. Very simple, confusing at times but mostly informative and educating so I have no problems telling everybody and everyone I am diabetic.
 
Totto said:
And if anyone of them tell me something I don't like or don't understand I ask for clarification. .
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I did ask for clarification but she would only say 'you get them because you are diabetic'. All previous eye sight appointments at this optician have been conducted using 'state of the art' equipment for different visual criteria, but none of that was used this time. She looked into my eyes with a hand held device with a bright light followed by a rather rapid sight test. I would not feel confident with purchasing new spectacles on the strength of the result of the sight test.
 
this is too difficult said:
I am sure my eyes are not quite right. But as my doctor has pronounced me cured I am not sure what to do. As far as I can remember, when I have had eye tests they have asked if I am diabetic.
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You have mentioned your doctor's assessment of your condition a few times. What is your doctor doing for you, on an ongoing basis? Will you be having any further HbA1cs done?
 
A1c went from 67 to 38 in 4 months. No other test. I have to go for another A1c in a year. Just to be sure I am still ok.
 
lizdeluz said:
I think the optician needs to know about our diabetes, because diabetes can have temporary effects on eyesight which might affect a prescription or course of action.
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Yes. This.
 
Ambersilva said:
My question is, do we actually have to inform the optician who conducts a vision test that we are diabetic? I am thinking about booking an appointment with another optician that I know but they do not know that I am diabetic.
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We have no legal obligation to tell the optician or anyone else of our diabetes. Of course, the eye test isn't free to non-diabetics unless you qualify in some other way, but in your shoes I'd be happy to pay for another test as a second opinion. I'd worry that your optician has fallen into the trap of seeing what they assume to be there because of your condition. I'd also be inclined to write a letter to the optician saying that you are unhappy that they worried you by telling you you have a condition and then not explaining the meaning or consequences of the condition or telling you where to find the information.

For most people, the threat of losing our sight is a cause for huge alarm; opticians must surely be aware of this and be prepared to explain and reassure.

Kate
 
l would go straight from the test to management to complain about their idea of an eye test. Would say l wanted proper testing or money back and go to a proper optician and get tested.
 
It would be foolish not to mention that you have diabetes, the more they know about your medical history the better. Diabetes can damage the eyes so it's only right that you should inform your optician whoever you see, better to work with these people than against them.
 
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