Eye screening

Hi Chell, anyone can get glaucoma it doesn't matter if you have diabetes or not.

People with diabetes are thought to have a higher risk of glaucoma than the general population. The NHS diabetic eye screening test does not specifically check for glaucoma so it is important to attend the optician regularly for eye pressure checks.

Chell1066 said:

Hi I have type 2 diabetes and on metformin and insulin it's all under control but I've just been reading about the eye screening now my question is I have this and my dad has glaucoma and has to now have drops is there any chance I could get it on top of my diabetes I'm not worried if I do I will deal with it as they say maybe someone can let me no please thank you in advance .

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Hi @Chell1066 and welcome to the forum! I have had checks for glaucoma since high pressure was detected in one eye during a routine optician's check about five years ago. I have since been diagnosed with T2 diabetes and am supposed to have a retinal screening every six months, though I still haven't been given an appointment six months after diagnosis.
From what I have been told I am not any more likely to develop glaucoma now that I am diabetic.

Prem51 said:

Hi @Chell1066 and welcome to the forum! I have had checks for glaucoma since high pressure was detected in one eye during a routine optician's check about five years ago. I have since been diagnosed with T2 diabetes and am supposed to have a retinal screening every six months, though I still haven't been given an appointment six months after diagnosis.
From what I have been told I am not any more likely to develop glaucoma now that I am diabetic.

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You should have been offered an eye screening appointment within 3 months of diagnosis. I would go back to my GP and ask them to investigate. Errors in referral to the Diabetic Eye Screening Programme sometimes occur - if they haven't been given the right address, for example, you won't have received your appointment letter!

Glaucoma is often hereditary, and damage can happen long before you are aware there is a problem, and is irreversible. It is also more likely to occur after the age of 40, I believe.

The damage can be halted, but not reversed.

The last time I had an eye test I was asked if there was any history of glaucoma in the family, and since I am over 40, I was checked carefully for any signs of it.

So it is very important to get regular checks at the optician.

My father ended up with glaucoma years ago - not related to diabetes - and I was entitled to free eye tests (from opticians) because of this - I don't know if this is still the case, but it's obviously worth asking about.

Robbity

There is some information in this article about glaucoma,
Glaucoma screening recommendations
Glaucoma is a disease of the eye that occurs when fluid builds up against the nerve at the back of the eye. It can be a complication of diabetes that occurs alongside diabetic retinopathy.

The UK NSC does not recommend a screening process for glaucoma, because "there are no tests which can accurately predict who is going to develop the disease [...] many people diagnosed with early glaucoma will never suffer visual impairment in their lifetime [...] there isn't any good-quality evidence that demonstrates treatment to be better than no treatment [...] [and because] the effectiveness of a screening programme has not be studied; therefore there is no evidence to suggest that a programme would reduce the burden of the disease to the UK population."
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/news/2016...-diabetic-retinopathy-screening-98666655.html

Hi Chell, as type 2 your GP should offer you screening on a yearly basis regardless what meds you take. I have had one every year since diagnosis. Well controlled, taking metformin.

Hi, I am a Type 1 diabetic (since 1992) and have, just over a year ago, been told the pressures in my eyes were getting high (optic hypertension which can be a sign of Glaucoma). Now I don't have any family history of glaucoma but due to the diabetes I was put on eye drops. None of the eye drops I tried were working very well and the pressures remained quite high so I started looking online for something herbal which could maybe help. I read about a herb called Coleus Forskohlin which apparently helped in bringing down the eye pressures so I bought some and have been taking it for over a year now. I only take one every other day as they have quite bad laxative effects! When they checked my eyes the last time (after giving up the drops and purely just taking this herbal supplement) my pressures had come down considerably. I have again today been back to have my eyes checked (no issues with the back of my eye) and was over the moon that the pressures have reduced even more (18 in one eye and 20 in the other so now within normal range again!!). I can't tell you how relieved I am that just by taking this herb has helped so much!!

Dark Horse said:

You should have been offered an eye screening appointment within 3 months of diagnosis. I would go back to my GP and ask them to investigate. Errors in referral to the Diabetic Eye Screening Programme sometimes occur - if they haven't been given the right address, for example, you won't have received your appointment letter!

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I did tell my GP when I saw her for the results of my 3 month retest that I hadn't heard anything from the retinal screening hospital. She said it was due to them being in a mess because of reorganisation, and I would hear from them. That was 3 months ago.
I have since received an appointment for a checkup from the hospital where I had my previous glaucoma test, so I will leave it until after then and if I haven't hear anything will ask GP again.

al_leister said:

Hi Chell, as type 2 your GP should offer you screening on a yearly basis regardless what meds you take. I have had one every year since diagnosis. Well controlled, taking metformin.

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On diagnosis I was told that I would have retinal screening test every six months (though yet to have one).

Prem51 said:

I did tell my GP when I saw her for the results of my 3 month retest that I hadn't heard anything from the retinal screening hospital. She said it was due to them being in a mess because of reorganisation, and I would hear from them. That was 3 months ago.
I have since received an appointment for a checkup from the hospital where I had my previous glaucoma test, so I will leave it until after then and if I haven't hear anything will ask GP again.

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Oh dear. Even if the service is reorganising, procedures should have been put in place to ensure patients come to no harm. Although you were diagnosed only a few months ago, type 2s may have had diabetes for as much as 10 years at diagnosis and can have sight-threatening retinopathy on their first screening. The earlier this is treated, the better, so it is important for newly diagnosed Type 2s to be screened as soon as possible after diagnosis.

You can find the contact details of your local screening programme here:-http://www.nhs.uk/Service-Search/Diabetic-eye-screening/LocationSearch/1911 If you don't get any joy from them, try contacting your local patient liaison service (PALS). All complaints to them will be followed up and efforts put in place to remedy the problem. Good luck!

@Dark Horse I got a letter today for the retinal screening in two weeks time.