Is there a definitive answer to this?

Go to

http://medweb.bham.ac.uk/easdec/retinop ... ession.htm

and read carefully.

Try googleing retinopathy + hba1c for a lot of useful, informative references.

I got my eye photo done yesterday and they said sometimes even with good control you can get retinopothy! My eyes are fine, and I am confident that with steady control, they will stay that way. if not, they can zap 'em!

Where does it say they have eye disease? I wasn't being insensitive, my partner has extremely serious retinopothy and has had laser several times, so I do know what I am talking about not just from an "I'm alright Jack" stance.

Some people need a sense of humour - me saying I don't mind having my eyes zapped if it will save my sight, (as it does) won't affect anyone else's sight, will it?

Lighten up.

As I said in my earlier post you need to read the article carefully. If you do read it carefully your apparent panic might well subside.

Dear Shy Girl,

Sorry to hear about your problems, unfortunately this isn't something I can help with. However, I did want to reply to the posts here and have deliberated at some length as to whether I should or not, so I hope you don't mind me putting my pennyworth in anyway?

There are a lot of us having to deal with the serious or not so serious consequences of illness, but to be fair you didn't actually mention you had eye disease and it did read as a general enquiry - much as I generally enquired about this topic when I first joined.

There are a lot of people here who will read posts and hope to find people helping each other in good spirit. Personally I'm battling diabetes and a close bereavement and I look to this site for inspiration, not words of war.

What I simply wanted to say (in a waffly way) is that fighting back at people trying to help won't help anyone, even if you don't agree with what they say.

I do hope you do get some answers that help you.

Griffy.

Giraffe, can I ask if you partner had any lasting sight problems after the laser treatment, I am having treatment at the begining of next month, and was told that I could have a small "blind-spot" afterwards. But they said it was fairly low down in my vision, truth be told - I am a bit scared at this statement does your partner have any thing like that?

Some useful information on diabetic retinopathy and macular edema detection and treatment here

http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/diabetic/retinopathy.asp

Good easy to understand basic information on scatter and focal laser treatments.

Hope this helps

Thanks Sid...............still looks a bit scarey though