Eye testing by NW Eye Testing Service, is it a scam?

I took my wife to one of their clinics.

It has the feel of a scam.

Apparently they check for diabetic retinopathy, but no other diabetes related eye problems. Presumably they don't mind if you go blind, just not from retinopathy. I am even dubious about their checks for retinopathy - they just take photos and show them to technicians.

I had an acrimonious conversation with the only eye doctor linked to the scheme that covers all of NW London, (it took from a Wednesday to the following Monday for her to be available to talk to me). To questions there was a series of "we do not check for that" answers. I did not find out if my wife was suffering from diabetic maculopathy as the doctor terminated the call before I could ask.

My advice to the NHS is to close them down, I feel they are dangerous. They may be saving you money right now but when the effect of inadequately checked patients becomes a torrent of blind people seeking compensation it could prove very expensive for you and catastrophic for the victims.

To patients, don't waste your time, ask to be referred to a competent fully equipped and staffed eye clinic.

I have written to Diabetes UK asking them to investigate. Meanwhile, I suspect everyone knows what I think.

And you, what do you think?

I am sorry but the posts above seem to be from those inexperienced with eye testing. I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 1985 and have had proper eye tests at various eye clinics at hospitals ever since. The doctors check thoroughly, provide adevice and answer questions.

At the test arranged by the clinic I described, the technician checked my wife's sight with a chart. Compared with my sight, which is relatively poor, a matter that bothers me, my wife's was significantly and worryingly worse, yet the technician did not advise this, he said it was OK. This is positively dangerous. My wife has given up driving, but if she hadn't, the technician's mistake could have led to a car accident.

The clinic would not answer questions.

We are still left without answers to the questions, e.g. why is my wife's sight so poor, is she suffering from diabetic maculopathy and what else may have been found.

I am sorry, the test that my wife had was in my view dangerously incompetent. The clinics should be closed immediately and only re-opened when each clinic has a competent doctor present to examine eyes and answer questions.

lovinglife said:

The retinopathy tests only test specifically for the said condition, my dad has glaucoma, wet MD, and cataracts- he goes to three separate clinics for each one as they only treat that one specific condition- he also has his yearly retinopathy check - which amazing he doesn't have! Then once a year he sees the head consultant of the eye department who collates his results as an overall view.

Dad is registered blind and does get lots of help with equipment etc

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I would not accept this. If your Father were to attend a competent eye clinic they would look at all conditions in one visit. Especially given his condition, it is outrageous that they do not see him for all conditions in one visit.

Mr_Pot said:

You might want to bear in mind that the NHS run this service it is not a private company. http://www.nwldesp.co.uk/

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You are wrong, the service is commissioned by the NHS from a private company, which explains a lot. Below is copy/pasted from Google:-

The North West London Diabetic Eye Screening Programme is an NHS commissioned service currently provided by Health Intelligence Ltd.

I suspect a price was agreed for testing to a higher standard but the work carried out within that price is carried out by technicians to save on doctors' salaries

Seacrow said:

I would prefer being seen like this. This way you get seen by a specialist in each eye condition, not one generalist eye doctor who might not be as up to date on the latest treatments available. It would be nice if all the appointments could be in the same place on the same day, but sometimes the drugs used to examine one condition clash with those for another condition.

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I concede, you are right.

Mr_Pot said:

The diabetic retinopathy eye test consists of taking high resolution photographs and examining them. Other types of test are at optician as part of a normal eye test.

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I think I should reply to you.

The standard diabetic eye test that I have been having since 1985 starts with an eye check using a chart. A nurse then administers eye drops. When the pupils have been dilated, photographs are taken. Sometimes a fields test is carried out. Sometimes other tests may be carried out.

A specialist eye doctor then carefully examines the inside of the eye using a special collection of gadgets and bright lights. After the full examination of both eyes the doctor explains what he has found and advises if necessary. He will also answer questions.

Compare with the "scam like" screening provided to my wife and you'll understand why I want my wife to have her eyes checked properly, as well as have the screening service either closed down or, preferably, re-formed to offer a full diabetic eye check to everyone.

Boo1979 said:

Eye clinics and retinal screening services are different things.
Screening services are a primary care service specifically set up to screen large numbers of people for retinopathy and are not a treatment or further diagnostic service - that is the remit of the secondary / tertiary care eye clinics who target people with already diagnosed sight problems
Retinal scans are conducted by technicians with a certain level of training and then reviwed by a team which includes optometrists ( my optician is also part of the retinal screening MDT in NE london.
My understanding of the reason they do a sight chart test is not as a general sight test like the optician does when seeing if you need glasses, but rather to see if there are any localised sight impairment at the top / middle/ sides / bottom of rows.
Any signs of proliferative or maccular retinopathy are referred on from the screening services to an eye clinic. Any other sight related issues are referrable to a specialist eye clinic by either your gp or optician

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If it's intended to be to the very low standard that I saw, patients should be warned it's a waste of time!

ringi said:

If you don't like what the NHS provides for free, go and pay for what you want yourself for your wife. Personly I would rather the NHS spend the money is the way the research shows gives the best returns on the investment..

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That attitude is absolutely disgraceful. My complaint is firstly that what I saw could lead to large numbers of people needlessly going blind at huge cost to them and to the country. If I followed your advice we'd be OK but what about the rest?

I also saw inadequate advice on impaired sight. My wife is fully aware of this problem, but if your or my children were to be run over by someone wrongly advised about the result of what appears to be a sight test no amount of money could put that right.

The test that I saw looked like a scam that the NHS is paying for, it should be stopped immediately or thoroughly overhauled.