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Eye test

D

DiabeticDi

Well-Known Member
Messages
259
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Please can someone tell me if diabetics should have a routine eye test at the optician once a year? I thought that was the norm. My pptician has told me I was down fora 2 year recall when I have qqbeen one year for 40 years ??? Plus I have had retinopathy and 3 eye ops .
 
Hi @DiabeticDi It's entirely up to you if you see your optician as well as having your annual NHS eye screening test, I have one every couple of years as I wear contacts, I use Specsavers and find them to be good as they will also check your eye health over as well as doing a sight test.
 
This is what the NHS recommends:
https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-qu...nts/how-often-can-i-have-a-free-nhs-eye-test/

There appears to be some ambiguity, and the opticians seem to have some input on whether more frequent testing is required for some individuals. This could depend on several factors, including the previous history you mention, and family history of glaucoma. If you are concerned that 2 year interval is too long discuss further with optician, or seek second opinion. Though perhaps, like many NHS services, currently there are restrictions on seeing people due to Covid-19?
 
It seems to have changed to 2 years rather than one which it used to be. I have a family history of glaucoma but that also seems to be 2 yearly now

to be honest, personally I would pay to have one annually. My father lost his eyesight due to diabetes complications, I am not taking the risk
 
Juicyj said:
Hi @DiabeticDi It's entirely up to you if you see your optician as well as having your annual NHS eye screening test, I have one every couple of years as I wear contacts, I use Specsavers and find them to be good as they will also check your eye health over as well as doing a sight test.
Click to expand...

Hi

Thanks for your reply. I am with Specsavers and have been for ages and I wish they had explained to me why they put me on 2 years and then I wouldn't be frustrated like I am now perhaps.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Pipp said:
This is what the NHS recommends:
https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-qu...nts/how-often-can-i-have-a-free-nhs-eye-test/

There appears to be some ambiguity, and the opticians seem to have some input on whether more frequent testing is required for some individuals. This could depend on several factors, including the previous history you mention, and family history of glaucoma. If you are concerned that 2 year interval is too long discuss further with optician, or seek second opinion. Though perhaps, like many NHS services, currently there are restrictions on seeing people due to Covid-19?
Click to expand...

Hi

Covid doesn't come into it because a 2 yr recall was dediced last June. I wish then they had told me why after 40 yrs I had gone down to 2 years, if in fact they haven't made a mistake. Now I don't know what to do and am waiting for my eye consultant to help me out as I am registered severely sight impaired, have glaucoma, extensive scarring to the eyes and 3 ops. And do I have to pay for the test if I do have an extra one as such.

Thanks for your reply.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
DiabeticDi said:
Hi

Covid doesn't come into it because a 2 yr recall was dediced last June. I wish then they had told me why after 40 yrs I had gone down to 2 years, if in fact they haven't made a mistake. Now I don't know what to do and am waiting for my eye consultant to help me out as I am registered severely sight impaired, have glaucoma, extensive scarring to the eyes and 3 ops. And do I have to pay for the test if I do have an extra one as such.

Thanks for your reply.
Click to expand...
My reference to current restrictions regarding Covid-19 was because I am aware that many NHS appointments are limited, currently, to those considered most urgent.
If you are concerned that you should be seen more frequently, (and with your history that is not, in my opinion, unreasonable) it may be wise to seek another opinion from a different optician if your current one won’t see you. I find that my local independent optician gives continuity of care. With same members of staff having been there for many years. I do get the free eye sight test every 12 months, as there are relatives with glaucoma. I would pay for that myself if it didn’t come free of charge. The NHS retinopathy test I have been getting annually at the local NHS centre. Ladt year I was informed that for people like me, with no diabetic complications or changes, it would probably be every two years in future.

I hope you get the result you seek. Best of luck.
 
DiabeticDi said:
Hi

Thanks for your reply. I am with Specsavers and have been for ages and I wish they had explained to me why they put me on 2 years and then I wouldn't be frustrated like I am now perhaps.
Click to expand...

You can have as many as you wish if you pay for them. I get one free annually via my contact lense scheme. However it does not replace the annual NHS diabetes eye check done in hospital which is much more in depth.
 
Pipp said:
My reference to current restrictions regarding Covid-19 was because I am aware that many NHS appointments are limited, currently, to those considered most urgent.
If you are concerned that you should be seen more frequently, (and with your history that is not, in my opinion, unreasonable) it may be wise to seek another opinion from a different optician if your current one won’t see you. I find that my local independent optician gives continuity of care. With same members of staff having been there for many years. I do get the free eye sight test every 12 months, as there are relatives with glaucoma. I would pay for that myself if it didn’t come free of charge. The NHS retinopathy test I have been getting annually at the local NHS centre. Ladt year I was informed that for people like me, with no diabetic complications or changes, it would probably be every two years in future.

I hope you get the result you seek. Best of luck.
Click to expand...
 
Hi

Thank you, I definitely will get an eye test as I have no date to see my eye consultant, nor for screening, so with my history I definitely want to see someone! Thanks for the advice
 
I'd been seen at the hospital clinic for years, as I'd had a lot of diabetic eye trouble, and quite a bit of surgery. Last year I was discharged from the clinic, and started using my doctor's diabetic services. After checking me once, they said to come back in a year. I wrote a letter asking them if I could change to six monthly checks, as I was worried about leaving checks for as long as a year, and they agreed. The only trouble is I haven't had my latest check because of Covid. But I do think that two years is too long to leave someone who has already had diabetic related eye trouble.
 
francesk said:
I'd been seen at the hospital clinic for years, as I'd had a lot of diabetic eye trouble, and quite a bit of surgery. Last year I was discharged from the clinic, and started using my doctor's diabetic services. After checking me once, they said to come back in a year. I wrote a letter asking them if I could change to six monthly checks, as I was worried about leaving checks for as long as a year, and they agreed. The only trouble is I haven't had my latest check because of Covid. But I do think that two years is too long to leave someone who has already had diabetic related eye trouble.
Click to expand...
 
Hi, thank you. I do think that as I am registered SSI, have glaucoma and extensive scarring from laser that I should be seen annually and if I have to pay for it so be it.
 
I spoke to Specsavers again and they told me the rules were changing "all the time", whatever that means? She said if I thought my vision has changed and that was found to be right, I would have a free test. I said well yes it has worsened but how do I know if that is down to my glaucoma etc or what, I am not the expert. I don't know if my vision can no longer be improved by a stronger prescription of not do I ? And with Covid and the fact that I don't know when my eye clinic appt will be or my screening....It's upset me, I wish when I saw them a year ago they had had the courtesy to TELL m that it was 2 years recall and I would have questioned it then.
 
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